Public feedback requested on wild beavers’ potential return to Gloucestershire

The public is invited to provide feedback concerning the re-establishment of wild beavers in Gloucestershire, following observations of a beaver population near the county’s boundaries. At present, Gloucestershire hosts three contained beaver colonies, with no wild beavers present. The Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust (GWT) indicated a “real possibility” for wild beavers to become established in the region, given their recent sightings nearby, such as on the River Avon. Dee Durham, the beaver feasibility co-ordinator at GWT, stated: “Some people may have valid concerns about the possible impacts of beavers on their land.” Beavers were eradicated from the UK through hunting in the 16th Century. Initiatives have been undertaken to reintroduce them into natural habitats in locations such as Somerset, Yorkshire, and Cumbria. Additionally, beavers have been living wild for some years around Scotland’s River Tay, having escaped or been unlawfully released some years ago. During an interview with BBC Radio Gloucestershire, Ms Durham remarked: “There are beavers almost on our borders, there is a population on the River Avon so there is every chance that they could naturally disperse into Gloucestershire.” She added: “It is a really good reason to get on top of everything and see how we can manage this process proactively so that we can maximise the benefits beavers could bring and minimise the risks.” Beavers were placed in an enclosure within the Forest of Dean with the aim of mitigating flooding for residents of Lydbrook. Over the past year, GWT has collaborated with Forestry England on a joint study to assess the advantages and disadvantages of wild beavers residing in Gloucestershire. Ms Durham stated: “Beavers are incredible animals capable of creating these enormously diverse habitats by engineering the environment around them.” She further noted that while these animals can assist hundreds of species through wetland creation, it is “only natural” for some individuals to harbor reservations about the return of beavers. She explained: “Like other rodents beavers are burrowers and sometimes they burrow in the wrong place and might need to be managed.” She continued: “And likewise if a dam is built somewhere where you don’t necessarily want more water to be stored, you might need to look at ways to manage that dam to control the water.” “There are lots of tried and tested management techniques, developed in countries like America and Germany.” The survey is open until 6 January, designed to gather public perspectives on the potential arrival of beavers in Gloucestershire.