Beavers 'could boost wildlife and tackle drought'

Supporters of a plan to reintroduce beavers to a county say they could help landscapes become more resilient to drought and climate change.

Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and Forestry England are surveying different parts of the county to assess their suitability for a new reintroduction programme.

"Beavers are a keystone species" said Emily Bowen of the Beaver Trust. "They are ecosystem engineers, which means that they can have a massive impact on the landscape around them."

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), which would have to approve the measure, said it could make a "huge difference to nature recovery".

"By changing the land to suit their needs, they can change it in such a way that boosts biodiversity and increases resilience in terms of climate change," Bowen added.

As semi-aquatic mammals, beavers are known for building dams that create ponds and wetlands.

Even small streams can feed a substantial wetland habitat that will then support an abundant array of biodiversity.

Beavers are a native species, but have not been a regular sight in the west of England for around 400 years, after hunting for food and medical ingredients forced their numbers to dramatically decline.

A Defra spokesperson said: "Reintroducing beavers has the potential to make a huge difference to nature recovery, and we are proud to champion this work.

"We will continue to support our partners and ensure that the return of beavers benefits both wildlife and communities."

Beavers have already been living at Greathough Brook in the Forest of Dean since 2018 and regular surveys have revealed a dramatic increase in biodiversity.

"I've seen stoats, I've seen weasels, I've even seen pine martens," said Kate Wollen, from Forestry England.

"The beavers have created this amazing habitat that has brought in all the insects that are at the bottom of the food chain and then it brings in all the other animals that then feed on them, it's just a whole wonderful network of habitats."

A new re-introduction programme in the Severn Vale area would require a government licence.

Studies are being carried out to find suitable locations and a consultation is underway with landowners and users who might be affected by the change in the landscape.

"We have to make sure that we are working really closely with people who live, work and manage the areas that we're thinking about putting beavers," said Mega Adamou, of Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust.

"We'll be seeing more complex wetland habitats being created," she added.

"We'll be seeing a little bit more resilience to drought in those areas where the beavers might end up living."

"It's been really interesting to see how the general public have taken to beavers and getting people thinking about seeing them back in our countryside."

There have been three licensed releases of beavers in England to date, with about 100 animals expected to be released this year.

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