KNOWLEDGE BASE

Rewilding aims to restore ecosystems and biodiversity while reconnecting people with nature. This paper proposes a new method for measuring the success of rewilding projects. They apply the method to three projects, including one in the Netherlands where beavers were reintroduced. According to this method, that specific project had been moving in the right direction!

This paper seeks to summarise some key cases of real rewilding projects to inform the rewilding research agenda. In the text, several rewilding project examples are given, several of which included the positive impact of beaver reintroductions on biodiversity. Future research needs are more focussed on scaling up rewilding projects, including financing options.

This article compiles information on the causes of death of Eurasian beavers in Germany, from 1930 to 2009. Traffic accidents have been the main cause of death since the 1980s - infections the main natural casue of death. Routine collection and analysis of dead beavers stopped in the region in 2009 but the authors suggest that ongoing surveillance would be important for monitoring the prevalence of certain pathogens and parasites, amongst other things. Please note, this resource is not open-access.

This paper explores the opportunity of combining urban ecological restoration with the engineering behaviours of beavers. It analyses three case studies in Seattle, USA, to understand how landscape architects and ecologists are incorporating beavers into urban designs to enhance ecosystem functions and reduce potential conflicts. The paper includes maps of each site to show how beavers have impacted the original designs.

Beaver distribution and density has increased compared to a 2012 survey in Tayside, with activity recorded in various areas. 114 active territories were identified in this study, estimating around 433 beavers. Spatial variability was evident, with areas of expansion and infilling, along with smaller areas of habitat abandonment potentially through culling. Potential management issues were found, including dam building, collapsed burrows and tree felling.