Beavers eager to engineer a return

Beavers are to be released in the Forest of Dean in the spring, following research by the Forestry Commission.

Driven from England 400 years ago, initial reintroduction trials took place in Devon in 2015.

The creatures can play a vital role in preventing flooding – building natural structures such as leaky dams, they help to slow the flow of water, thereby protecting local communities.

Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, which currently carries out much of this time intensive work by hand, welcomed the news. “Beavers are nature’s ecosystem engineers and we will be excited to see their impressive impacts in the Forest of Dean,” said Dr Andrew Stringer, the manager of Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust Project.

Two adult beavers and two kits will be released into a 6.5 hectare secure enclosure to help improve biodiversity and build dams and ponds.