Beavers Return to Somerset Wild in Major Conservation Milestone
In a landmark move for British wildlife conservation, beavers have been legally reintroduced to two sites in Somerset as part of an ambitious initiative to revitalise local river and wetland ecosystems. The releases, which occurred on Tuesday across the National Trust's Holnicote Estate on Exmoor, involved a family group consisting of a mother and her three offspring, alongside a separate pair of Eurasian beavers.
A Historic Reintroduction Effort
This event represents the second time Natural England has granted the National Trust a licence for a wild release, following an initial reintroduction on the charity's Purbeck Estate in Dorset earlier in March. Beavers were first introduced to enclosed sections of the Holnicote Estate in 2020, setting the stage for this broader rewilding project.
Ben Eardley, project manager at the National Trust, expressed profound enthusiasm for the development. "This is incredibly exciting and is the latest step in our ambitions to restore a huge swathe of Somerset countryside and moorland to help bring back nature," he stated. "Beavers are extraordinary partners in our work to restore nature at scale."
Ecosystem Engineers at Work
Eardley highlighted the transformative impact beavers have demonstrated in recent years. "Over the last few years we've seen how their dams and wetlands transform the landscape, create habitat and help buffer both floods and drought," he explained. "Each pair, or family need their own space. Across the estate they will have the opportunity to develop their own territory, enabling them to create wetlands, ponds, build dams, and enrich the landscape in ways only beavers can."
He emphasised that beavers play a "vital role" in slowing water flow, creating and holding wetland habitats, reducing erosion and improving water quality through their natural engineering activities.
From Extinction to Legal Protection
While beavers became extinct in Britain more than 400 years ago due to intensive hunting for their pelts, meat and glands, they have gradually made their way back to England's rivers through escapes from enclosures and illegal releases. Their conservation status received a significant boost in 2022 when they were granted legal protection, paving the way for organised reintroduction programmes.
Conservationists have long advocated for licensed wild returns to the wider English countryside to boost wildlife diversity across the UK. However, the reintroduction has not been without controversy, with concerns raised about potential negative impacts including:
- Flooding of roads, properties and farmland
- Targeting of crops such as maize and cricket bat willow
- Territorial conflicts with existing land uses
Government Support and Wider Releases
Nature minister Mary Creagh witnessed the Somerset releases firsthand, declaring: "It was a privilege to witness beavers returning to Somerset. These extraordinary creatures are brilliant for biodiversity, reduce flood risk and improve water quality in our rivers. The return of beavers is a vital part of this Government's mission to protect and restore nature and we're working closely with local communities to maximise their benefits."
The Somerset release follows closely on another significant reintroduction event. On Monday, two pairs of beavers were released by Cornwall Wildlife Trust into the Par and Fowey river catchments, indicating growing momentum for beaver restoration projects across southwestern England.
These coordinated efforts represent a substantial commitment to ecological restoration, with conservation organisations and government agencies collaborating to reintroduce a keystone species that once played a crucial role in shaping Britain's wetland landscapes.
