A long-time advocate for a better relationship between beavers and humans will explore the animal’s keystone role in creating and maintaining bird-friendly wetlands at the Oconee Rivers Audubon Society’s next meeting, set for 7 p.m. Thursday, April 2, at Sandy Creek Nature Center.
Bob Kobres, an engineer who retired from University of Georgia Libraries, will give a presentation on “Beavers and Us: How We Can All Benefit from Learning to Coexist with This Ancient Wetland Engineer."
Besides discussing how beavers “manage” wetlands throughout the Northern Hemisphere, Kobres will demonstrate ways people are devising to mitigate problems that arise as beaver return to areas where humans had eliminated the species through trapping and draining wetlands.
The meeting will be held in the Nature Center’s expanded Education and Visitor Center, 205 Old Commerce Road off U.S. Highway 441 north of Athens. To reach the center from the Loop 10 bypass, exit at U.S. Highway 441/Commerce Road and turn north toward Commerce. Go approximately one mile, turn left at the Sandy Creek Nature Center sign and go to the end of the Road; parking for the Education and Visitor Center will be on the right.