The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Beaver control licensing scheme hailed a success
Wildlife: Total of 45 were issued for removing dams or halting any damage
A licensing programme to help farmers deal with problems caused by beavers on their land has been hailed a success.
NFU Scotland (NFUS) said the scheme, which issues licences for lethal control of beavers or removal of their dams in instances where they are causing serious damage to agricultural land and no alternative control options are viable, was proving “effective and fit for purpose”.
The union made the comments in response to a report released yesterday by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), which reveals 45 licences were issued in Tayside and surrounding areas between May and December last year.
The agency said five of the licences were for dam removal or manipulation only and all 45 were issued for the purpose of preventing serious damage to agriculture.
All bar one of the licences were issued on land classified by the Scottish Government as prime agricultural land and in all instances, there was evidence of serious damage caused by the beavers, including waterlogged fields and crops, as well as erosion on riverbanks and embankments.
Under the 45 licences, 15 beavers were trapped and moved to another location, 83 beaver dams were removed and 87 beavers were shot by accredited controllers.
SNH said one additional licence was issued to allow an experienced ecologist to live-trap beavers from sites where lethal control may otherwise have been employed and 33% of licence requests were refused.
“It’s always been clear to both us and our partners that lethal control of beavers will sometimes be necessary under licence as a last resort when other mitigation is unlikely to be effective,” said SNH director of sustainable growth Robbie Kernahan.
“Some of the well documented and most serious issues have occurred on the most productive areas of agricultural land in Scotland.”
He said these areas, which tend to be welldrained, low-lying and flat, were often vulnerable to beaver burrowing and dam building.
“As we work with farmers to trial new and innovative measures for reducing the impacts of beavers on this type of ground, we hope to see less need for control measures in the coming years,” added Mr Kernahan.
“We also expect to see the beaver population expanding away from high-conflict areas and into suitable habitat where beavers can thrive and bring the positive benefits we want to see.”
NFUS president Andrew McCornick said the scheme had been a success and mitigation work would be vital.
He added: “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.”