Today, three years after consulting on their approach to beaver reintroduction and management in England, we welcome the news that the Government will be setting out their plans to return wild-living beavers to English waterways.
At Beaver Trust, our vision is for thriving waterways vibrant with life, where beavers are embraced as a vital part of our biodiverse landscape. As England grapples with increasingly extreme weather, biodiversity loss and water management concerns, the return of beavers offers an opportunity for nature recovery and climate resilience.
Today’s announcement marks progress, but whether or not it will restore this native species to our landscapes at the scale needed will depend on the details. We already know that new wild release projects will need to have a project plan in place covering a 10-year period – a requirement which will be challenging and even prohibitive to otherwise highly feasible wild release projects.
To help us assess whether or not the Government’s plans are fit for purpose, here are some of the key points that we will be looking for in the policy announcement:
- A clear licensing framework that sets out achievable criteria for wild beaver reintroductions.
- A commitment and timeframe to developing a national strategy for beavers in England in order to ensure national scale, integrated and strategic thinking around beaver reintroductions and existing wild populations.
- A Government commitment to leading by example by supporting beaver restoration on publicly owned land
- A timeline for when Natural England will begin the process of issuing licences for the release of beavers into appropriate locations.
Whatever the announcement brings, Beaver Trust looks forward to continuing to work with the Government and other stakeholders to support the proactive restoration of the Eurasian beaver across England. We will share our thoughts in more detail once we have had an opportunity to read the policy.
