KNOWLEDGE BASE

The available methods for mitigating beaver damage to commercial forests have many limitations. This study tested whether Eurasian beavers can be distracted from commercial species by the presence of softwoods that they prefer, such as willow. Buffer zones of softwoods 10-20m from rivers could allow healthy beaver populations and commercial stands of trees to co-exist. This approach was suggested to have benefits compared to culling, fencing, or using repellents. Please note, this resource is not open-access.

A strategy to steer wider efforts to identify and actively expand the population to new catchments, alongside appropriate management and mitigation, following the Scottish Government’s change in policy in November 2021 to encourage wider beaver restoration.
It sets out plans to empower and support communities to maximise the benefits of beavers, while minimising negative impacts through effective management and mitigation.
The strategy highlights the need for ongoing research and monitoring of the beaver population and its effects.

The plan should be considered as a ‘working document,’ with actions and timelines being updated as new information is received, and existing actions being completed.
The plan should be viewed in conjunction with Scotland’s Beaver Strategy 2022-2045 and has been organised around the three strategic work themes of the strategy, namely: Conservation Translocation; Management and Mitigation; and Research and Innovation.

In England, researchers predicted how the small (current) population of beavers may grow across a specific catchment over the next 40 years or so. The simulation model was based on six years of observations and geographical information about the area. This model is reproducible and provided important insights into how the population may evolve, with and without certain management interventions. Without management, territories were predicted to increase tenfold over the next 10 to 40 years.

Managing genetic diversity is important for the successful long-term reintroduction of species. This text described the genetic diversity of beavers living in England in order to inform decisions around future reintroductions and population management. The scientists said that most of the beavers introduced to England by 2022 likely originated from populations in Southern Germany. They recommended maximising genetic diversity by conducting additional translocations from other European populations.