Beavering away for a new future
WITH wildlife under threat and climate change making efforts to secure nature’s recovery even tougher, it is clear that we need bold action to create a wilder Nottinghamshire for all.
Back in November bold action is precisely what we took by releasing the largest group of beavers in England at our Idle Valley Nature Reserve near Retford. After quarantine and health checks at specialised facilities at Five Sisters Zoo in Scotland, the beavers were transported to their new home, a specially created enclosure covering more than 58 hectares at the reserve, by the Beaver Trust.
The beavers, the first in Nottinghamshire for at least 400 years, are a key part of our long-term vision to make the site wilder. Our aim is to enhance, protect and connect habitats to ensure 30 per cent of land in the UK can support nature’s recovery by 2030. They will help us transform key areas of wetland habitat, benefiting species including wading birds, amphibians and dragonflies – while making habitats more resilient to climate change.
The reintroduction, made possible thanks to support from Severn Trent as part of their Great Big Nature Boost, plus donations from other funders, trust members and the public, represents our commitment to utilising natural processes to enhance habitats at this huge reserve alongside the River Idle.
Since their release, Wildlife Trust staff and researchers from Nottingham Trent University have monitored their progress – noting signs of positive impact. Signs of feeding and teeth sharpening were seen within days. By January it was clear they had settled in, with evidence including coppiced willow trees, gnawed branches and mud “slides” at favourite spots for entering the water. The beavers soon began helping control invasive scrub and open up habitats for other species. They also ring barked some trees, which will hopefully develop into standing deadwood – one of the rarest habitats – essential for declining species such as lesser spotted woodpecker and willow tit.
However, in February we discovered that that one of the young kits had died. With no evidence of injury, a post-mortem examination indicated that it died of natural causes and, while sad, it was not unexpected to lose a kit from a large litter in its first winter.
Additional evidence of positive impact has been gathered during a series of behind-the-scenes tours to share knowledge about the benefit of bringing back “nature’s wetland engineers”. In June, members of the Wildlife Trust’s Young Rangers team, Keeping it
Wild, youth volunteers and children from the Idle Valley Wildlife Watch Group were also given access.
The reintroduction of beavers, a revised grazing regime and installation of water level controls to help improve conditions for wading birds has already made a difference, and we’re excited at what can be achieved in the years ahead. Our monitoring programme will assess the longer-term impact of the beavers and identify opportunities to further improve habitats for vulnerable species such as water vole and turtledove.
Idle Valley Nature Reserve can be a vital part of the UK Nature Recovery Network by acting as a catalyst for the restoration of nature across the wider valley where Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust has been investing and supporting other landowners for over 30 years.
The reserve is already a nationally recognised wildlife haven and a key destination for migratory birds, and the beavers are helping speed up the process of making the site even richer for wildlife. They are also creating opportunities for people to experience a wilder connection with nature, and we hope many more people choose to explore this amazing site in the months and years ahead.
The impact of the beavers will form part of a weekend course on rewilding to be held at Idle Valley next month. For details, visit nottinghamshirewildlife.org/events