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Beaver Trust Statement on DEFRA Delayed Announcement
20 July 2022
Beaver Trust calls on DEFRA to clarify the rationale behind yesterday’s last minute U-turn on legal protection of beavers
Beaver Trust is calling on DEFRA to clarify why there was a last minute u-turn on yesterday’s planned announcement on the legal protection of beavers. Critically we want reassurance that yesterday’s delay will not affect the legal protection for beavers due to come into effect on 1st October 2022 date.
Yesterday’s delay seems a surprising change of direction after Beaver Trust, amongst other stakeholders, were informed on Friday 15th July 2022, by DEFRA’s Species Recovery and Reintroduction Team, that a clear process would be heard in Parliament on how Eurasian beavers were to achieve protected species status from the 1st October 2022. It appears subsequent influences have blocked or delayed this process. Beaver Trust asks that if new evidence has been presented or new objections raised outside of the DEFRA consultation process that this is made transparent. It seems not all stakeholders appear to have equal access and influence.
We have been fully engaged in the robust, evidence based and lengthy multi-stakeholder consultation process which concluded that it is right to restore beavers to England and to afford them legal protection. We look forward to DEFRA’s response.
© Beaver Trust 2022.
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