Beavers gained native species status in England in October 2022, prompting numerous releases up and down the country into large enclosures, which are currently legally restricted. Despite clear evidence of the significant benefits beavers can yield for people and nature, the publication of a clear licencing framework and a national delivery strategy continues to be delayed.
That delay is something that I will be putting under the spotlight in the House of Lords on Thursday with an oral question about the government’s plans. The apparent reason for the delay in action is, nonsensically, that the release of beavers (rather like the GCSE in natural history) is viewed as a ‘Tory legacy’. The government denies this, but it is hard to see any other reason, given this is a government that claims to be committed to the biodiversity targets in the Environment Act, on which delivery is clearly failing. Beavers are far from the complete solution to that, but they would be a significant help.
And people – including an increasing number of farmers – want wild beavers. There is a public demand for greater engagement with nature, and beavers are a great way to achieve that, as I saw when I visited the wonderful Ealing Beaver Project, the community-led, fully accessible project in London. The swift publication of a clear licencing framework and a national delivery strategy, with a focus on fostering coexistence between people and beavers, could be a gamechanger for our countryside.
Beavers: nature’s flood defenders
The University of Exeter’s ten-year study of beavers on the River Otter – the only wild-living population in England – found that the beavers contributed positively to habitat restoration, flood mitigation, water quality improvement, and biodiversity renewal. That only reinforces evidence of beaver’s restorative powers already abundant elsewhere in England, Scotland, and mainland Europe.
And the need for action is urgent. As global temperatures rise, the number of extreme weather events is expected to increase. This extends to flooding, further exacerbated by the degradation of our upland landscapes which has reduced the capacity of the land to retain water and slow its flow downstream, with one in six properties in England at risk. Beavers could play an important role in the crucial action known as #SlowTheFlow. Their dam-building recently saved the Czech taxpayers £1mn, avoiding expensive and less effective human-built dams which had been planned prior to the beavers unexpected excavations. Beaver-engineered habitats are already reducing the risk of flooding in places like Sinnington in Yorkshire.
Balancing conservation and coexistence
Some argue – simplistically – that beavers cut down trees, so conflict with government reforestation targets. A new NatureScot report proved this to be a fallacy. Drawing on international research and Scottish case studies, the report highlights how careful planning can ensure woodlands thrive alongside beavers. The resurgence of both these ecological agents will not only reap ecological benefits but enrich landscapes for people. Harnessing potential new recreational opportunities will foster a connectedness to nature and, in turn, yield immeasurable benefits for people’s mental and physical wellbeing. Of course, there are new economic opportunities also linked to nature-based tourism that can help to revitalise rural economies.
There is no doubt that the existence of wild beavers in our countryside, particularly in areas of high agricultural value, does require management. One obvious solution is to provide payments for landowners who host beavers on their land as a part of the environment land management schemes (ELMS). Rather than perceiving beavers as costing money, this conservation tool, utilised in Sweden to promote coexistence between large carnivores and the Sami reindeer herding communities, could shift the narrative to viewing beavers as an economic asset.
Also, as has been demonstrated in Scotland, where there are truly wild beavers and far greater numbers of them, it is possible to move animals undertaking problematic building schemes to other areas. There has also been – sadly – totally unnecessary legal and illegal killing of the animals. While some conflict is unavoidable, the question is whether when conflicts do occur, they can be proactively and effectively managed. This is where government has an important role to play in forging a policy landscape that fosters positive and tolerant relationships between humans and beavers.
A framework for a greener future
The benefits of wild beavers for people and nature are unquestionable and much needed in our green and pleasant land. This is why the government must seize the initiative and publish a clear licencing framework and a national delivery strategy. This can help to pave the way forward for a more holistic and meaningfully collaborative management approach that listens to the needs of people and nature.
Written with Toryn Whitehead, KCL PhD student embedded in the office of Baroness Bennett
