KNOWLEDGE BASE

In northern Scotland, researchers examined how reintroduced Eurasian beavers impacted brown trout. Comparing two streams, the beaver-modified stream had more abundant, larger trout compared to the stream without beavers. These findings suggested that beavers can benefit brown trout populations by improving the diversity of habitat available to the trout during its different life stages.

Moors in southern Germany - and across western Europe - are valuable for nature. However, they are often degraded and require restoration. Beaver reintroductions offer potential for such restoration programmes but data to understand how beavers expand through the moor landscape has been lacking. This study showed that beaver canals are identifiable on aerial photos and can be used effectively to track beaver colonisation, in turn helping to understand beavers impact on the moor habitat overall.

This paper analysed in-depth interviews conducted with people who had direct experience of beaver reintroductions in England - including those who may have been negatively affected. The aim was to understand the depth of feeling and the potential for conflict in beaver reintroductions. The results showed a polarised landscape, with landowning and fishery stakeholders expressing distrust in the science behind reintroductions, associated mitigation measures, and the financing of those measures. The report makes a number of recommendations to minimise the risk of conflict in future reintroductions.

This report assessed the evidence gathered during the River Otter Beaver Trial (ROBT) in England. It aimed to evaluate whether the trial had been successful and whether beavers should remain in the catchment after the licence expires. The report found that the trial had indeed been a success, with objectives met, conditions adhered to, and conflicts well managed. It recommended that beavers should be permitted to stay after the end of the ROBT. This was, in the end, the decision of the UK Government.

This report described beavers' interactions with the human and more-than-human environment in England. It did so with the aim of informing decisions on future beaver reintroductions in England. Overall, the report supported further reintroductions, showing that the potential environmental, economic, and social benefits outweighed the potential costs. However, challenges such as land use conflicts were also noted. At over 250 pages, this report is an important reference on beavers in England - Chapters 4 and 5, in particular, detail beavers' impacts on a wide range of other biological and social phenomena.