Yesterday, The Wildlife Trusts published A vision for the return of beavers to England and Wales making the case for bringing back this keystone species to rivers in the two countries. Beavers are known for their hugely beneficial effects on wetlands and can play an important role in flood prevention, filtering water and boosting wildlife habitat. 

Three years since Defra’s beaver consultation opened and nearly two years since legislation officially recognised beavers as a native species in England, the UK Government has repeatedly failed to put in place the steps needed for their return. This includes the issuing of licences for beavers to be returned to the wild in England and the publishing of strategic plans to enable beavers to be reintroduced. Wales still lacks legislation to protect beavers and enable their effective management. Despite previous political indications that wild releases would be allowed, it has yet to happen.

The Wildlife Trusts’ new vision explains how releasing beavers into the wild – in preference to the fenced enclosures that are currently allowed – will enable beavers to rejoin our native ecology, providing beleaguered wetlands with a powerful natural restoration tool, bringing back life to our rivers and providing a host of benefits to society.

This vision is particularly relevant to Essex, where for the past five years, Essex Wildlife Trust have been supporting Spains Hall Estate with their introduction of beavers back to Essex to help reduce flood risk in Finchingfield.

The beavers have created complex wetland made up of a series of dams, pools and canals, holding water on-site during floods and releasing it slowly during dry periods. This water security, along with the filtering effects of the series of dams, has led to increased biodiversity with water shrews, freshwater shrimp and kingfishers back on site and cleaner water flowing downstream.

Archie Ruggles-Brise, Manager of Spains Hall Estate, says:
“We are the proud home of the first beavers to return to Essex for over 400 years. As a working farming estate, we care deeply about our environment, woodlands and the wildlife we provide a home for. Working with Essex Wildlife Trust means we can track the beavers and their management of our site, to demonstrate how effective they are as a nature-based solution.” 

To support the ambition to bring back beavers to the wild, The Wildlife Trusts call on the UK and Welsh Governments to:

· Publish an ambitious beaver reintroduction strategy

· Fund farmers and land managers in the two countries to make more space for water on their land

· Support beaver management groups

· Confirm all wild beavers can remain in England and Wales

· Recognise beavers as a native species in Wales and provide them with full legal protection

The Wildlife Trusts are committed to working with communities and authorities to support successful wild beaver releases across England and Wales. This commitment aligns with UK Government’s target to protect 30% of land for nature by 2030. The Wildlife Trusts want to work with a range of partners and stakeholders to ensure Beaver Management Groups can enable people to live in harmony alongside beavers.

Modelling work undertaken by the University of Exeter and The Wildlife Trusts will help land managers understand which areas are most suitable for beavers – this work will enable beaver groups to understand where to focus reintroduction and management efforts.

Professor Richard Brazier, director of the Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste (CREWW) at the University of Exeter, says:

“The overwhelming weight of scientific evidence on the impacts of beaver reintroduction is positive. Unsurprisingly, as a keystone species that has evolved over millions of years, the beaver has adapted to create ecosystems that are resilient to droughts, floods and the wide range of ways in which humans degrade the environment. We would do well to learn from this species. Renewing our coexistence with this animal and thus enabling the beaver to modify landscapes that can again deliver multiple ecosystem services to society is an obvious and sensible thing to do.”

You can read A vision for the return of beavers to England and Wales here.

Help us help beavers!