AssetID: 54578352
Headline: RAW VIDEO: Beaver Is Back! England Has First Wild Release After Government Backing
Caption: Wild beavers are back in England in a big way! That's because Britain’s National Trust legally released the first two pairs of Eurasian beavers to live in the wild in England in Purbeck, Dorset on Wednesday (5March2025). This historic moment follows an announcement by the Department for Rural Affairs (Defra) and Natural England last Friday, paving the way for wild beaver releases. For the first time since the 16th Century, these extraordinary creatures will be able to legally roam freely across Purbeck, an area peppered with lakes and water courses, unrestricted by fenced enclosures. Gen Crisford, Beaver Project Officer at Purbeck at the National Trust, shared her delight: “As a true believer in beavers, today is incredibly exciting, a real watershed moment in the history of the species in England. “We have worked closely with Natural England for the past seven years to develop an approach for a licensed release of beavers into the Purbeck landscape. She went on to say that the area was the perfect environment for the animals to cut their teeth, adding: “Our chosen site at Little Sea is highly suitable for these special creatures due to it being an expansive body of fresh water surrounded by dense willow woodland which will provide the beavers with plenty of food. “As the lake is already deep enough, they won’t need to build dams initially, but by creating glades within the willow woodland, new areas of open wetlands will form to benefit many of the reserve’s rare species including water voles, keeled skimmer dragonflies and tiny ‘bladderwort’ carnivorous plants.” Hunted to extinction on mainland Britain for their fur, meat, and scent glands, beavers are now set to play a crucial role in ecosystem restoration. This wild release is the fourth site where the National Trust has introduced beavers, following successful enclosed reintroductions at Holnicote Estate on Exmoor, the South Downs, and Wallington. Nature Minister Mary Creagh added: "I am thrilled that, after being hunted to extinction centuries ago, wild beavers are finally here to stay. Today is an important milestone for national nature recovery. “Beavers are ecosystem engineers who bring multiple benefits for people, for wildlife and for landscapes. They are a keystone species and create thriving wetlands for wildlife, reduce flood risk and improve the water quality of our rivers.” Beavers are nature’s engineers, creating wetland habitats that support countless other species. Their instinctive dam-building helps tackle the impacts of climate change by creating wetlands that retain water during floods and droughts, benefiting both nature and people. These natural dams also filter water, improving its quality downstream. The beavers will spend the coming weeks settling into their new home at Little Sea, a 33-hectare (82 acre) lake on England’s first Super National Nature Reserve. Relocated from the River Tay catchment in Scotland by experts at the Beaver Trust, this release is the culmination of years of preparation by the National Trust team and the local community. Together with the Wild Purbeck partnership which includes Natural England, other conservation NGOs, local landowners and farmers the Trust has co-created a detailed management plan to support this historic wild release. Gen continued: “Beavers can sometimes cause conflict when they colonise areas where they aren’t wanted, but by working with all the local landowners in advance to plan for their arrival and put measures in place where needed, we are confident that in Purbeck we will be able to demonstrate how beavers can work for everyone. “Thanks to our previous licensed, fenced reintroductions of beavers at other National Trust sites, we have learnt a lot and have seen first-hand the benefits these clever mammals can bring, and how they can contribute massively to targets for nature recovery.” Recognising the significance of the moment, Marian Spain, Chief Executive of Natural England conclude: “This is an historic moment for nature in England. Beavers disappeared from our landscapes centuries ago and this release is the beginning of a new chance for these animals to thrive in the wild again.”
Keywords: beaver, england, national trust, nature, animals, natural world, photo, video, feature
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