Because beavers are dam good partners.
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Mission
We empower humans to partner with beavers and value their works.
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Vision
We exist to help humans defer to the stewardship of beavers in managing our waterways.
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Purpose
We work to nourish a world where humans partner with beavers for the resilience of our planet.
Values
We are but students of complex systems and old wisdom, committed to doing our best.
Humility
Excellence
We are dedicated to craft and skill in all that we do.
Action
We are here together, now, acting out of love for the earth and future generations.
Respect
We treat all people with dignity and respect, even and especially when we may disagree.
Truth
We are committed to sincerity and honesty as we stand together for a common purpose.
Programs
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Empowering humans
This program is our approach for empowering humans with better tools for partnering with beavers. Because beavers are an opportunity to come together for land, water and people.
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Valuing beaver works
This program is focused on helping humans value the work of beavers. As the late Takelma grandmother Agnus Baker Pilgram insisted, we must “be the voice for the voiceless” and many humans have forgotten the ecological wealth that beavers bring to a landscape.
Strategic Action Plan for Project Beaver
This strategic action plan is a roadmap, our “to-do list” for improving the world. It is intended to help ensure that the right decisions happen for the long-term efficacy of Project Beaver, as we lead with humility, communicate from the why, and focus on accountability through outputs.
Meet our leadership
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Jakob Shockey
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BOARD MEMBER
Jakob is a human, father and husband. He works primarily with beavers and people, focusing on the restoration of complex natural processes and relationships that create and maintain resilient habitat and its wildlife. Jakob spends much of his time assisting humans to coexist with beavers where they have conflicting ideas about habitat. He also sings to himself, loves flying kites and can’t spell.
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Valentina London
RESEARCH ASSISTANT
Valentina is a communicator, organizer and scientist. She is passionate about wildlife and has always been drawn to their world. She brings an array of experience in conservation and science communication to Project Beaver, where she helps insure that our organization’s work is grounded by the latest scientific research. Valentina aspires to spend more time as a wildlife biologist in the field with other mammals—ideally in the ocean.
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Alison Hensley Sexauer
BOARD MEMBER
Allison is a wife, a mom, and a context junkie. She loves helping people accomplish big things, with a practical mindset, and she is passionate about building relationships and community, food systems, and being a good person. She has worked in the food and farm world for the past two decades in everything from farming, to catering, to nonprofit management. She is a certified permaculture designer, and lover of wild places.
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Andrew Schwarz
BOARD CHAIR, PRESIDENT & TREASURER
Andrew is a restoration practitioner, farmer, and advocate for healthy waterways. He has a deep reverence for complex, functioning ecosystems that has influence all of his major life decisions. He’s paddled many waterways, is handy with a tractor and chainsaw, and loves tall socks.
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Jason Strauss
BOARD SECRETARY
Jason is an adventurer, cyclist and entrepreneur. He lives along a river with beavers and is an advocate for their rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Jason has sailed around world (including solo handling his 46’ boat “Otimballoo” across the 400-mile windward passage from the Virgin Islands to Grenada). He enjoys growing fig trees and spending time with his children and grandchildren.
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Odette Finn
BOARD MEMBER
Odette is a biologist, dancer and adventurer. She works as a senior biologist at an engineering and environmental consulting firm in Santa Barbara California, where she has spent the last six years garnering field experience in toxics remediation and habitat restoration. She has a love for many aspects of the performing arts and has traveled internationally as a professional ballerina. She believes in being inquisitive.
We are funded by humans who care about beavers, land, water, and people. This support comes from individuals and family funds, as well as grants from federal, state and private foundations. To explore the nitty gritty of our finances check out our last few years of federal Form 990s. To review our nonprofit status, check out the letter from the IRS.
Supporting our work
This organization would not exist without individual donations from people and families who support our mission. Your contribution keeps us going, so together we can build healthier communities and a more resilient planet. We would be honored to have your support.