The public have until 17th November to have their say about the future of this keystone species.
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The reintroduction of beavers in East Devon has been a real success story – as led by the Devon Wildlife Trust:
The River Otter Beaver Trial | Devon Wildlife Trust
A crucial part of that story was the official sanctioning of the beaver this time last year – “the most ground-breaking government decision for England’s wildlife for a generation”:
Beaver families win legal ‘right to remain’ – BBC News
The government has just announced that it’s looking at an expansion of this programme:
Consultation on beaver reintroduction and management_accessible.pdf
As reported in today’s Guardian:
Beavers to make ‘cautious’ return to England with legal protection
The government is launching a consultation on more reintroductions to the wild after a successful trial in Devon The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is launching a 12-week consultation on further reintroductions into the wild and management of existing wild populations in England, which the environment secretary, George Eustice, said would take a cautious approach.
Beavers to make ‘cautious’ return to England with legal protection | Wildlife | The Guardian
The Wildlife Trusts are of course enthusiastic:
New beaver consultation could herald better wetlands for wildlife and climate.
The Wildlife Trusts believe beavers should be allowed to return to the wild across the UK and expand their range naturally. The movement of 46 charities has been calling for ambitious strategies in England and the devolved nations to enable this to happen.
The consultation paves the way for future releases into the wild that deliver significant benefits for nature and society. It includes proposing a practical system for supporting landowners and communities where beaver reintroductions have taken place and recognises that the quantifiable benefits of beaver reintroductions far outweigh any financial costs. The public have until 17th November to have their say about the future of this keystone species.
Funded by The Wildlife Trusts, Professor Richard Brazier of University of Exeter is undertaking a mapping exercise for England and Wales to assess which areas are suitable for beaver reintroductions. South-west England has now been fully mapped…
The Wildlife Trusts welcome golden opportunity for beavers to be wild | The Wildlife Trusts