Mike Symes
Beavers
Nature's water engineers
Bringing back beavers isn't just about the reintroduction of a lost native species (they were hunted to extinction in the 16th century) - it's about the reintroduction of an entire ecosystem that's been lost.
Over 90% of wetland habitats have been lost in the last century. But as nature's engineers, beavers build dams and restore these lost wetlands - bringing the benefits of improved water quality and reduced downstream flooding, as well as homes for amphibians, insects, water voles and wetland birds.
From 2015-2020, we led the River Otter Beaver Trial - England’s first wild beaver re-introduction project, with beavers not in fenced enclosures but free to establish territories along the full length of the River Otter and its tributaries.
Our work on this trial, and the work of The Wildlife Trusts elsewhere, has shown that bringing back beavers is crucial for nature's recovery, and in 2025, the government agreed. Their announcement means that we can now carefully bring back beavers to more catchments.
