On the Shelf: The Beaver Manifesto

THE BEAVER MANIFESTO | GLYNNIS HOOD | ROCKY MOUNTAIN BOOKS | 2011

Beavers are the great comeback story, a keystone species that survived ice ages, major droughts, the fur trade, urbanization and near extinction. Their ability to create and maintain aquatic habitats has endeared them to conservationists, but puts the beavers at odds with urban and industrial expansion. These conflicts reflect a dichotomy within our national identity. We place environment and our concept of wilderness as a key touchstone for promotion and celebration, while devoting significant financial and personal resources to combating "the beaver problem."

It's not a well-known fact, but I absolutely love natural history. I took a few electives back in my undergraduate days on the topic even though it had nothing to do with my major. I jumped at the chance to review a couple books from The RMB Manifesto Series, especially when I found out that there was a book dedicated to the beaver. It is one of my favourite creatures to learn about (they're absolutely fascinating) and I had a professor who was quite literally obsessed with them.

The RMB Manifestos are an evolving series of short literary non-fiction books. The goal is to "help encourage debate and help facilitate constructive change." The Beaver Manifesto is only 130 pages, so it provides a quick, entertaining look at one of Canada's most interesting animals. The book is a perfect mix of fact and humour. It doesn't read at all like a textbook - it lives up to its proclamation of being "literary" nonfiction.

Aside from the great writing, the book is stunning. It may be small, but it is hardcover bound and printed on recycled paper (the same goes for all of the books in the series). They would be a great gift for someone who likes to collect books and is interested in nature topics. I still have The Grizzly Manifesto waiting on my shelf, but there are many other subject areas to discover in the series, like glaciers, "ethical" water, the global war for oil, and honeybees. I highly recommend checking out one of the books if you enjoy reading passionate essays.

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"So why all the conflict between beavers and modern humans? My theory is that two control freaks will battle over the same tree until long after the last of its stump decays back into the forest floor. Humans simply do not like to be outdone by a rodent, plain and simple. The historical record, however, shows that not only the beaver but also the Norway rat and the house mouse have almost always won the war. Although cockroaches are touted as the most persistent animals on the planet, they were never chased down for their furs, turned into hats, or marketed as a perfume. The evidence is in, and rodents rule the world."