Beavers are key to creating flourishing wetland ecosystems and provide a wealth of benefits for nature and people by reducing flooding, capturing carbon with their dams, creating new habitats, and more. A change in legal status will make it an offence to deliberately capture, kill, disturb, or injure beavers, or damage their breeding sites or resting places – without holding the appropriate licence.

This legislation will come into force on 1^st October, and alongside this Natural England is developing guidance on the management of beavers, which will set out which actions will or will not require a licence, and where people can go for advice.

Beavers are a ‘keystone species’ and have a highly positive impact on their environment.  The industrious herbivores are native to mainland Britain but were hunted to extinction in the 16^th century by people who wanted their fur, meat, and scent glands. The end of beavers led to the loss of the mosaic of lakes, meres, mires, tarns, and boggy places that they were instrumental in creating.

Last September we had the immense pleasure of confirming the discovery of wild beavers in the River Avon, the first time they had been recorded in the region in 400 years. Working with local stakeholders as part of the Bristol Avon and Somerset Frome Beaver Management Group, we are so pleased to see that the beavers are thriving, with new kits born this year.

Beavers are mostly nocturnal, though can be seen emerging or returning to their lodges at dusk and dawn, times when they are actively feeding, grooming and patrolling their territories. Please make sure you follow The Beaver Code if you manage to spot one in the wild:

If you are lucky enough to spot nature’s engineer at work in our area, or signs that they’ve been around, please let us know!

Find out how to tell if a beaver has been, log your sightings, learn more about the work we’re doing for beavers and support us to make the most of their return