Carse of Gowrie beavers ‘can be managed’

Farmers and landowners fear the implications of dam building

Protected status for beavers will not mean they are allowed to block important drainage systems unhindered, landowners in the Carse of Gowrie have been assured.

Concerns had been expressed about the network of ditches built decades ago which criss-crosses the Carse, preventing flooding of low lying areas.

The problem of beavers blocking the man-made ditches, known locally as pows, was taken up by Conservative councillor Angus Forbes with cabinet secretary Roseanna Cunningham.

“As you will know, these pows were built many decades ago to drain water from the Sidlaw Hills to the River Tay,” he said in a letter.

“They are maintained by farmers and landowners who have a legal and moral obligation to keep the drainage channels free of blockage and to keep water flowing. This beaver activity will mean dams being built along the pows which will mean they require extra work to keep them clear.

“If this work is not done, the water table will rise meaning further flooding over good quality arable land.”

Mr Forbes asked that any legislation making beavers a protected species takes this into consideration.

Ms Cunningham said: “In certain situations, it is appreciated that beavers and their activity will need to be actively managed to prevent significant damage.

“One such example would be in ‘high risk’ areas such as agricultural land prone to flooding.”

Picture: PA. Beavers have protected status.