A pair of Eurasian beavers have been released at a nature reserve in the centre of Shrewsbury. The project, a partnership between Shropshire Wildlife Trust and Shrewsbury Town Council, is one of a few urban releases in England and will see the beavers manage and restore the wetland habitat on the 8.5-hectare site.
The pair, who were relocated from Scotland, were released into their new home this afternoon, at Shrewsbury Town Council’s Old River Bed nature reserve in Shrewsbury. The two adult beavers, a male and a female, have been released as part of a five-year trial to assess the impact of this keystone species on an existing wetland site.
The Old River Bed, owned by Shrewsbury Town Council, is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) that is protected for the wetland plants found there. The habitat is under threat from fast growing trees such as willow, which would eventually dry out the site.
Shrewsbury Town Council, found that traditional methods used to manage the site, such as tree removal and livestock grazing, were no longer sustainable. Beavers introduced here will help to control the growth of these trees, reducing the impact on the sensitive wetland habitat whilst improving the water quality for other wildlife.
The release was facilitated and overseen by Dr Roisin Campbell-Palmer, Head of Restoration at the Beaver Trust, and under license by Natural England. The beavers were trapped and translocated according to best animal welfare practices and were health screened at a purpose- built facility at Five Sisters Zoo in Scotland, before their journey to Shropshire.
Beavers were hunted to extinction in Britain during the 16th Century for their fur, meat, and scent glands, but today’s vital release sees a lost species finally returned to Shrewsbury. With their ability to create and maintain thriving wetland habitat, beavers are crucial to the restoration of a healthy living landscape in Shropshire.
Tom Freeland, Head of Nature Reserves at Shropshire Wildlife Trust, said: “We’re excited to be introducing beavers to Shrewsbury, after much hard work by all of the partners; I would like to thank everyone who’s played their part in making this happen. We look forward to highlighting the benefits of this keystone species to our neighbours in Greenfields and Mount Pleasant, and right across Shropshire. Alongside the improvements to the site’s habitat, a release into a secure area in Shrewsbury will build understanding and confidence around reintroducing beavers, and help to inform any future release projects in Shropshire and urban sites across Britain.”
Jim Goldsmith, Countryside and Greenspace Manager at Shrewsbury Town Council, said: “We are delighted that all the hard work by everyone will see our collective ambitions of a beaver compound on the Old River Bed SSSI come to fruition. This will have huge environmental benefits for the area and its ongoing maintenance and will go a long way to fulfilling our nature recovery ambitions.”
Dr Roisin Campbell-Palmer, Head of Restoration at Beaver Trust, said: “We’re delighted to see beavers return to Shrewsbury as part of this exciting project. It’s fantastic to be working alongside Shropshire Wildlife Trust and Shrewsbury Town Council to deliver this carefully planned release, and we look forward to seeing how these beavers shape the landscape over time.”
Alicia Leow-Dyke, Welsh Beaver Project Officer at North Wales Wildlife Trust, said: “It has been a pleasure working with the project partners and seeing this project develop from the very beginning. It is wonderful to finally see the beavers released onto the Old River Bed. I am looking forward to seeing how the habitat changes and the benefits this will bring.”
The beavers will be closely and frequently monitored by a team of Shropshire Wildlife Trust volunteers. For the beavers’ welfare, the boardwalk and woodland footpath adjoining the enclosure will be closed over the weekend. The beavers will need time to settle into their new home, so once this reopens, passers-by are urged to be quiet and considerate, ensuring dogs are on-lead and kept under control.
The Shropshire Beaver Project has been made possible by experts and funders to whom Shropshire Wildlife Trust and Shrewsbury Town Council are extremely grateful. Thanks go to the funding partners including Severn Trent Water, Veolia Environmental Trust and Potter Group as part of the Landfill Communities Fund, Beaver Bridges and John Ellerman Foundation as well as the generosity of Shropshire Wildlife Trust members and supporters.
England is one of the world’s most nature-depleted countries and beavers offer a chance to reverse the dramatic decline in our wildlife by allowing nature to restore itself. Release projects are already underway in several locations across Scotland, England and Wales. They have proved to be hugely successful in managing wetlands more sensitively, enabling nature solutions to many environmental issues.
More information about the Bringing Back Beaver Project can be found here:
www.shropshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/bringing-back-beavers
