Beavers 'Come Home' & Nature Emergency

National news

Beavers | After centuries of absence, beavers are ‘coming home’, in the words of the Wildlife Trusts. The government has announced that it will allow licensed releases of beavers into the English countryside for the first time. The species, driven to extinction in England four centuries ago, has been returning over the last 20 years via enclosures and illegal releases. Now, Defra has set out a policy paper covering licenses for wild release, the management of existing wild beaver populations, and developing a long-term plan for the species. It also highlights the impact of beavers on restoring wetland habitats and boosting biodiversity. The first legal release took place on Wednesday, when the National Trust released two pairs of beavers in Purbeck, Dorset. Conservationists are widely delighted by the news, with the Beaver Trust calling it a ‘landmark moment’. However, it has been met with consternation from some rural groups. Last week, the president of the NFU, Tom Bradshaw, said that any widespread release programme must allow farmers to cull beavers if they cause disruption such as flooding. Current plans, published under the previous government, suggest lethal control will only be allowed as a last resort. The news was widely covered.