Beaver management ‘working’ where farm land is impacted

The operation, accreditation, management and licensing framework for managing beavers is proving effective and fit for purpose, NFU Scotland has claimed. Commenting on the report published yesterday by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) on the first 12 months of the policy framework and mitigation measures, union president Andrew Mccormick said it had allowed the management of beavers in those areas of productive farmland where the species was having a clear impact.

And a year on from the granting of protected status, the focus on areas where highly productive farmland was under threat from beaver activity was clear – with more than 90 per cent of territories unaffected by the licensing system.

“The number of beavers and their range continues to expand and it remains vitally important that, where there is conflict, the impact on farmland of beavers in new and existing catchments can continue to be managed through this framework,” said Mccornick.

“While that may involve lethal control, we note from the report that threequarters of licence holders have proactively engaged with the role of trapping.

“Mitigation work is vital going forward and NFUS encourages more mitigation trials to be undertaken by SNH. NFUS is encouraged to see that where mitigation was proven to have worked, there was no longer a need for licensing.

Under licence, 15 beavers were trapped and moved to either kn a pd ale or a trial in England, 83 beaver dams were removed, and 87 beavers were shot by trained and accredited controllers.