Beaver Trust

Learn more about one of Europe’s first beaver releases and the lessons we can learn from it in our latest blog 👇
beavertrust.org/from-bjuralv...

Country after country followed through the twentieth century, from Poland to Spain, while Britain paused.

Four human generations later, or between nine and twelve beaver generations, our first licensed wild release came in 2009, with full legal protection granted only relatively recently.

We're generationally behind 🦫

Over 103 years ago, at dawn on 6 July 1922, two Eurasian beavers slipped into Sweden’s River Bjurälven and quietly launched one of Europe’s first beaver restoration projects.

Alongside @theriverstrust.bsky.social, @nationaltrust.org.uk & The Woodland Trust, we’re calling for simple, impactful funding opportunities so they can create space for water on their land.

Add your name to our petition 👇
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/72...

By creating space for water to be held around the edges of a river, less water rushes downstream to cause floods, and water stays available in dry periods, protecting our homes and businesses.

To make this happen, great financial support for farmers and landowners is needed from Westminster.

As flooding and drought events become more intense with our changing climate, we need affordable, nature-based solutions - this is where making #SpaceForWater comes in.

Discover why giving rivers more room could protect you and your local community 👇

Whether you’re planning a local community event, a training session or a cinema night, you can host Balancing The Scales, free of charge.

📩 To arrange a screening, email info@beavertrust.org

🎥 Directed and produced by Nina Constable Media, funded by The European Nature Trust.

Last week, Wildlife Trusts Wales and @beaverafanc.bsky.social hosted a powerful screening of Balancing The Scales for Members of the @senedd.wales 🎬

A thank you to the panellists - Dr Robert Needham, Alicia Leow-Dyke, and beaver Species Champion @joycewatson.org.uk - and to everyone who joined us.

Alongside @theriverstrust.bsky.social, @nationaltrust.org.uk & The Woodland Trust, we’re calling for simple, impactful funding opportunities so they can create space for water on their land.

Add your name to the petition for a system that works on the ground 👇
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/72...

By giving water space to function naturally, we can regulate the flow, filter out pollutants & bring back nature-rich riverbanks that benefit people and wildlife alike.

To make this happen, great financial support for farmers and landowners is needed from Westminster.

Whether you wild swim, paddle, row, fish, or walk the towpath, healthy rivers matter. But pollution, flooding and drought are making our rivers less safe to enjoy.

Find out how making #SpaceForWater could benefit you and your local river 👇

Places are limited so book now and help shape the future of Britain’s waterways 👇

www.eventbrite.com/cc/beaver-co...

The day counts as CPD and, alongside the CIEEM Beaver Survey Methods & Mitigation course, provides the evidence needed to apply for Natural England’s CL51 or CL52 licences.

A morning of classroom learning is followed by hands-on fieldwork, providing you with a comprehensive understanding of beaver ecology, behaviour, and management.

Deepen your beaver expertise

Join our restoration team for on a one-day, in-person course exploring the return of Eurasian beavers to Britain, in partnership with the @mammalsociety.bsky.social

The Riverscapes partnership is calling for simple, impactful funding opportunities so they can create space for water on their land.

Add your name to the call for a funding system that works on the ground 👇
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/72...

@theriverstrust.bsky.social @nationaltrust.org.uk

One of the most powerful ways to build resilience is to make space for water, but that's not easy without the right support.

Greater financial support from Westminster is needed to help farmers & landowners give rivers room to recover.

Here's our plan: makingspaceforwater.com

Farmers & landowners are already feeling the pressure from climate extremes and water stress.

Installing and maintaining nature-based solutions such as wetlands, woodlands & floodplain meadows can also offer them plenty of benefits in return. Swipe through to find out more 👇

Guest blog: Reflections from Wild Wrendale - Beaver Trust This blog was written by Hannah Dale at Wild Wrendale, the rewilding arm of Wrendale Designs, a family-run business nestled in the Lincolnshire countryside. As well as producing much-loved wildlife il...

Read Hannah’s joyful and personal reflection on the journey so far 👇
beavertrust.org/guest-blog-r...

Pictures: Hannah Dale and Graham Catley
@wildwrendale.bsky.social @gpcbirding.bsky.social

Even with dry spells and setbacks, signs of recovery are taking hold. The beavers are settled, and they’ve even had their first kit! 🦫

“It marks not just the next chapter in our beavers’ story, but a hopeful new beginning for the wider landscape too.”

“Curlew have been recorded & a green sandpiper overwintered - a significant record for Lincolnshire. We even had a marsh harrier hunting over the wetland.”

Since Dec 2023, beavers at Wild Wrendale have been reshaping the land - building dams, holding water & welcoming new life 🌱

We’re calling on Westminster to fund farmers and landowners to make #SpaceForWater – restoring river corridors that protect against floods, clean our water and bring nature back.

Sign the petition to help bring life back to our rivers: petition.parliament.uk/petitions/72...

By giving water more space, we can restore thriving habitats that support wildlife in and around our rivers, from insects and fish to birds and mammals.

Scroll through some of the benefits that Making Space for Water can offer nature and wildlife.

@theriverstrust.bsky.social @nationaltrust.org.uk

This year marked a pivotal shift in beaver policy in England - dive into what it means for nature, people and climate resilience, as featured in @ciwem.bsky.social’s summer magazine.

With thanks to CIWEM for highlighting this topic.

#Beavers #NatureBasedSolutions

A huge thank you to Lloyd Hatton MP for hosting, Minister @emmahardymp.bsky.social‬ for her keynote speech, and everyone who joined the conversation.

Making #SpaceforWater has the potential to
💧 Make rivers healthier
💧 Restore wetland habitats
💧 Build climate resilience
💧 Give beavers space to engineer

To amplify this message to policymakers, sign the petition today 👇
makingspaceforwater.com

On Monday, we headed to Westminster to call on the government to make #SpaceforWater 💧

Alongside our partners @theriverstrust.bsky.social, The Woodland Trust, and @nationaltrust.org.uk, we’re urging Westminster to support farmers and landowners to restore nature-rich river corridors in England.

A home for the many? Beaver lodges as hotspots for bird and mammal diversity Diversity loss is a growing global concern. Keystone species and ecosystem engineers play a crucial role in maintaining and enhancing diversity. The E…

Read the full research paper here 👇

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Beaver impacts - Beaver Trust Understanding The Ecosystem Engineer How beaver activities benefit biodiversity but can bring challenges. Beaver Foraging Beavers are herbivores and browse on a wide range of bark, shoots, leaves and ...

Find out more about beaver activities on our website 👇
beavertrust.org/beaver-basic...

Beavers are a European protected species in Scotland & England, their lodges are protected as breeding and resting sites.

Land-management activities carried out near a lodge do not require a licence, provided they do not damage the structure; however, disturbing a lodge does.