January 2025
In recent years, the issue of biodiversity loss, alongside mitigating and adapting to the impacts of climate change, has become the most urgent environmental concern of our time. From rapidly declining bird, mammal and insect populations to the destruction of vital ecosystems, our natural world is imperiled. In the UK with less than half of our original biodiversity remaining, one in six of our species currently faces extinction.
There are big, positive, impactful answers out there if the UK Government chooses to take them. That’s why today, a coalition of eNGO, farming, landowner and business leaders are calling for Defra to immediately progress a wild release licensing system and national reintroduction strategy for beavers across England.
The case for going wild
Once native to Britain, beavers were driven to extinction by the 16th century due to habitat destruction, over hunting and persecution. Significantly though, in recent years, beavers have been returning to our waterways, with the benefits of their reintroduction becoming increasingly apparent.
Beavers, a native keystone species, are often referred to as 'ecosystem engineers' because of their remarkable ability to transform the natural environment around them. Through their activities they create habitats that support a wide variety of wildlife. Their dam building creates natural flood defences, helping hold back excess water and reducing the risk of downstream flooding, protecting both farmland and communities alike. Their activities trap pollutants and sediment, sequester carbon, restore healthy river and floodplain ecosystems, and help to re-engage people with nature, often while generating much-needed ecotourism income.
But with beavers having been absent from Britain for so long we need to re-learn how to live alongside them. We know that, in certain circumstances, beavers can create situations that humans find undesirable, such as localised flooding or damage to riverside crops and trees. However, there are a range of tried and tested options available for land-managers seeking to minimise beaver impacts, and multiple research projects clearly demonstrate that the biodiversity and ecosystem service benefits of beavers hugely outweigh any disadvantages.
Why act now?
From mitigating floods to boosting biodiversity, beavers are a natural solution to many of the challenges facing our landscapes today. Yet without a legal and regulatory framework that supports their reintroduction into the wild in England, we risk missing out on many of the benefits they provide.
While Scotland’s Beaver Strategy - which encourages widespread beaver restoration across the country - was published in 2022, landowners in England eager to participate in the reintroduction of beavers to the wild are unable to do so due to the absence of a clear, standardised licensing system. This is despite Defra consulting on an approach to wild release back in 2021. The delays and continued lack of action since have led to a number of illegal undercover 'beaver bombing' releases.With no national beaver strategy in place in England this will inevitably lead to unresolved problems, and undermine the success of future licensed releases.
In writing to the Government in Westminster today we are urging Ministers to act immediately to authorise Natural England to start issuing licences for beaver releases to the wild. There are plenty of well-planned projects out there with detailed proposals and management plans, ready to hit the ground running. Equally, Natural England is ready, willing and able to help make it happen, having understood the crucial importance of reintroducing these animals to the wild for many years. Such action will not only help restore our rivers and wetlands, but will also empower landowners and local communities to become active participants in one of the most promising and cost effective conservation initiatives available to us.
Beavers have always been part of Britain's natural heritage. Now, with the right support, they can once again help shape the future of our landscapes. It's beyond time for the UK Government to follow Scotland’s lead and make this vision a reality for England.
The opinions expressed in this blog are the authors' and not necessarily those of the wider Link membership.
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