WE BELIEVE IN BEAVERS

The planet is in climate crisis and wildlife numbers are plummeting. But here in Britain, our countryside still looks green and beautiful. Hedges are trimmed and tidy, plough lines are straight and deep, and there are few weeds. Sadly, this pleasing, tidy landscape is the problem. We have left no space for nature, which is complex, interwoven and often looks messy. That’s why our fields are silent, with few insects or birds. And our soil is dying, without worms to enrich it.

To produce healthy food, we must become more skilled at living alongside other creatures. We must make much more space for nature in the British countryside. And we must act now. But how?

One fast way to restore abundant wildlife is by concentrating on the rivers, streams and water catchments that crisscross our land. And there is one animal who does this best – and for free. The beaver. These remarkable creatures could be very useful to us. They build dams that hold back water, filter out pollutants, reduce flooding and attract lots of other species that we need for a thriving countryside. There are already a few hundred beavers in Britain, in sites sprinkled from Cornwall to Scotland. But we need more of them – and fast.