HEREFORDSHIRE Wildlife Trust has welcomed a government consultation into reintroducing beavers, saying the county could provide an ideal habitat.

 

Wildlife Trusts across the country also welcomed the launch on Tuesday (August 24), which asks the public if they want to see the industrious animals living in the wild.

 

To date, the only beavers living wild in the UK are in Scotland and along the River Otter in Devon.

 

The 46 Wildlife Trusts believe beavers should be allowed to return across the UK and expand their range naturally. 

 

Herefordshire Wildlife Trust spokeswoman Frances Weeks said: “It’s definitely a possibility for the future. It would be great to see a population of beavers in Herefordshire.

 

“There are places across the county that it would definitely work — but beavers are called ‘eco engineers’, so if the habitat is not ideal, they can make it right for them.”

 

However, she stressed that any release would need the support of farmers. “Nothing could be done without the support of local landowners, which is absolutely vital,” she said. 

 

She added that it was likely they would first colonise the deeper waters of the Wye and Lugg before moving into smaller streams. “Were there to be enclosed site releases, this could be done on smaller streams where the dam building would bring the benefits of ‘slowing the flow’ and flood protection and create wonderful wildlife habitat.”

 

Rob Stoneman, director of landscape recovery at The Wildlife Trusts, said: “There’s an impressive body of evidence to show how beavers can help to improve the quality of rivers and wetlands and the wildlife they support, improve water quality, and reduce flood risk, as well as contributing to carbon storage. 

 

“Beavers are fabulous — they can do all of this free of charge.

 

“Beavers are wild animals — and as their populations expand their activities will need managing. The Wildlife Trusts have played, and will continue to play, a pivotal role in the return of beavers in a responsible manner.” 

 

Beavers are native to mainland Britain but were hunted to extinction in the 16th century for their fur, meat and scent glands. The end of beavers led to the loss of the mosaic of lakes, meres, mires, tarns, and boggy places that they were instrumental in creating.

 

The public have until November 17 to have their say about the proposals by visiting consult.defra.gov.uk.