Welsh Beaver Project © CHRIS ROBBINS Living with Beavers Beavers Beavers are large, semi-aquatic mammals (average adult weight is 20kg/25kg). They are very well adapted for an aquatic lifestyle with waterproof fur, webbed hind feet and a flattened, hairless tail. Beavers pair for life and live in family groups, which include the breeding pair and their young (the young are known as kits). They only have one litter per year of two to four kits, which are born in late spring or early summer. Beavers are mostly active at dawn and dusk, and they do not hibernate (Kitchener, 2001; Campbell-Palmer, 2015). They are also exclusively herbivorous. Leaves, branches and bark of trees such as willow and birch © LAURIE CAMPBELL form part of their diet – and they are especially water quality within some river systems. partial to aspen and poplar. They also feed on The coppicing of trees and other vegetation aquatic plants, herbs and shrubs. reduces canopy cover and creates further habitat Beavers are known as a keystone species and diversity as well as providing a supply of dead ecosystem engineers, because of they can provide wood. Increased light levels encourage growth of a range of environmental and socio-economic under-storey plants and aquatic flora as well as a benefits. Ponds created from damming can promote growing abundance of invertebrates – with further growth of aquatic vegetation and create a favoured benefits to a wide range of species including birds habitat for invertebrates, which in turn encourages such as duck, heron, woodpecker and kingfisher. greater amphibian and mammal life – including Beavers have been reintroduced to many otter, water vole, frog, newt and dragonfly. These European countries and we can learn a lot from their dams can help slow the flow of water and improve experiences. 02 The Wildlife Trusts • Welsh Beaver Project Reintroductions in Europe and Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Denmark, The decline of beavers in Wales was echoed across Hungary, Romania and Slovakia. the rest of Britain and the majority of Europe. At the In 2009, the Scottish Beaver Trial (a partnership end of the 19th century the distribution of beavers between Scottish Wildlife Trust and Royal Zoological in Eurasia was reduced to eight isolated populations Society of Scotland) was the first official beaver consisting of less than 1,200 individuals (Halley reintroduction trial in Britain and further projects & Rosell, 2002). However, their near extinction have been undertaken since then, such as the River was reversed through a series of conservation Otter Beaver Trial in Devon, led by Devon Wildlife measures from greater legal protection to active Trust. reintroductions and translocations (Halley & Rosell, 2002). To date there have been over 205 successful Impacts and Management beaver reintroductions to over 25 European Beavers are often referred to as ‘ecosystem countries (Halley et al. 2012). engineers’ because they can modify the habitats and The first landscapes they live in through coppicing, feeding reintroductions and in some cases damming (beavers living on and translocations lakes or main rivers have little need of constructing began in the dams). However, in many cases when they are living 1920s in Sweden, at low density, their impacts can be remarkably Norway, Latvia, subtle and go unnoticed for many years. Russia and Beavers forage close to water with activity usually the Ukraine concentrated within 20 metres of the water’s edge and continued (Campbell et al. 2016). Beavers fell broad-leaved throughout the trees and bushes to reach upper branches to eat 1980s and 1990s in the bark during the winter and for construction the Netherlands, of lodges and dams. Most native tree species Croatia, Bosnia regenerate, which diversifies the surrounding habitat www.welshbeaverproject.org.uk 03 © SKIP LYLE © SKIP (Above) Inserting a flow regulator into a dam to control the pond water level. (Left) Willow coppiced by a beaver © ALICIA LEOW-DYKE © ALICIA 04 The Wildlife Trusts • Welsh Beaver Project structure and create areas of mixed-height, mixed- age vegetation. Coppicing has been practiced by foresters throughout history as a method to manage bankside trees. The actions of beavers are very ALICIA LEOW-DYKE © similar, meaning woodlands and trees are more naturally managed. Evidence from Europe shows that beaver impacts are, in the vast majority of cases, small-scale and localised. However, where localised problems do occur there are a number of well-established Beaver dams can come in different sizes and shapes, mitigation methods that can be adopted (Campbell- depending on the landscape Palmer et al. 2016). These include the removal or modifications of dams, the introduction of overflow Agriculture piping, or the installation of fencing (as one does Beaver impact on livestock farming, the form for deer and rabbits). In some cases, the removal of agricultural land use occupying the greatest and translocation of beavers could be considered. proportion of any prospective beaver territory in Some countries with sustainable beaver populations Wales, is not seen as a major issue. Beavers do not permit seasonal hunting and/or lethal control as pose any physical threat, and their role as a vector legitimate management strategies. for disease is considered of negligible significance. As part of our plan to reintroduce beavers to Problems can be caused to riparian crops, Wales we have established a Beaver Management including maize and roots, especially sugar beet. Network based on the beaver management Such impacts are usually localised since beavers strategies that have been developed in Scotland tend to forage mainly within 20 metres of a and Devon (Scottish Natural Heritage, 2019; Devon riverbank and rarely range further than 100 metres. Wildlife Trust, 2020). A number of management options can address www.welshbeaverproject.org.uk 05 this situation. Large mesh fencing and standard et al. 2017). A study on the economic impacts of low-voltage electric fencing can be highly effective. the beaver by the University of Oxford’s Wildlife Beavers have good memories and electric wiring Conservation Research Unit concluded that “with placed for one week will prevent them from forethought, prior consultation and planning, a attempting entry for up to 3 months (Halley & beaver reintroduction should bring significant Bevanger, 2005). monetary benefits within the local economy and Overall, experience from beaver reintroductions communities that could greatly outweigh any in continental Europe suggest that the cost of any potential negative impacts.” impact is likely to be substantially outweighed by the There is the potential for negative impacts to revenue potential obtainable, both directly through occur where beaver activity conflict with human nature tourism and indirectly via future recognition activities. However, the intention with planned of ecosystem services, which could generate further reintroductions is that these negative impacts are agri-environmental support. avoided or minimised through proper planning Beavers are now present throughout almost and with management solutions in place. The costs all of Europe, having been reintroduced to of beaver management are easier to identify and over 25 countries (Halley et al. 2012), including quantify when compared with the ecosystem and areas of highly intensive agriculture. With ecological benefits of beavers (Campbell-Palmer et adequate management strategies in place, these al. 2015) and whilst the potential negative impacts reintroductions have not posed a significant from beaver activity should not be downplayed, problem. the management costs should be reviewed in context with the potential benefits from a beaver Economic Impacts reintroduction. Studies have shown the reintroduction of beavers Research into the impact of beavers on the local can provide an economic benefit through eco- economy around Knapdale Forest was carried out tourism and as a deliverer of ecological services as part of the Scottish Beaver Trial. Local businesses (Campbell et al. 2007; Jones et al. 2012; Puttock reported an upturn in business due to interest in 06 The Wildlife Trusts • Welsh Beaver Project informal activities. Over 31,000 people took part in walks, talks, events and education sessions at Knapdale or during outreach sessions to schools and colleges (Jones and Campbell-Palmer, 2014). Data collected during the River Otter Beaver Trial found that there was an increase in beaver tourists to the River Otter, especially in areas where the beaver families were active and easy to see along the river (Brazier et al. 2020). © LAURIE CAMPBELL Fisheries Beaver are exclusively herbivorous, so do not eat fish. Habitat modification by beavers, however, can have significant impacts on fish populations in some circumstances, and fisheries groups are often concerned about the potential impact of beaver dams on the movement of migratory fish. The Scottish Beaver Trial interaction between beaver activity and freshwater fisheries has been the subject of several reviews the Trial increasing visitor numbers to the area. (Kemp et al. 2012; Pollock et al. 2013; Virbickas et al. The value of wildlife experiences at Knapdale itself, 2015). Studies in Litlelva River, Norway of the effects such as guided walks were calculated between of dam creation found no impediment to salmon £355,000 and £520,00 over the five-year trial period and trout (Halley and Lamberg, 2001). (Gaywood et al. 2015). In addition, huge numbers A study of the entire Numesdalen watershed, an of adults and children engaged with the project important salmon and sea trout river in southern throughout the 5-year trial through formal and Norway with a beaver population, found no www.welshbeaverproject.org.uk 07 evidence of any negative effect; indeed, salmon and sea trout catches increased over the period of beaver recolonisation. Siltation of beaver ponds may on occasion cover spawning sites, but this occurs on a very small scale and can be readily managed – indeed dams are often responsible for reducing water turbidity. Such ponds themselves are regarded as good fishing sites. There are, by contrast, beneficial effects for fish from the presence of beaver.