There’s something quite special about spotting signs of beaver activity. Woodchips left from a gnawing session, a jumble of nibbled branches piled near water, and branches gnawed to a pencil-tipped point are all telltale signs. For a species that was hunted to extinction 400 years ago, the return of one of nature’s greatest engineers has been remarkable; a journey which began with the first official release in Kent in 2002. 

The first beaver sightings on the River Avon were in 2020, between Bathford and Bathhampton, and possibly in the vicinity of Bath. Other sightings around the wider Bristol Avon catchment were reported between 2019 and 2021. The following year, Natural England commissioned a survey to provide baseline data on the populations of beavers in the River Avon and River Brue. The resulting report suggested that there was a population of around 50 individual beavers (excluding kits), across 13 established territories. 

In February this year, the UK Government announced its commitment to reintroducing beavers into the wild. The announcement included information regarding licensing the wild release of beavers, managing the existing wild beaver populations, and developing a long-term management plan for beavers in England.

As a keystone species, beavers help manage local wetland ecosystems and provide natural solutions to some of our greatest challenges, such as a changing climate.

Their dams help filter and clean water courses as well as creating new wetland areas that help slow the flow of water, reducing flooding downstream and alleviating the risk of drought. The silt held by their dams captures carbon, while the new plant growth resulting from their efforts provides a fantastic carbon sink.

Beavers are herbivores, feeding entirely on plants. In summer, they prefer pond weeds, grasses, fresh, green leaves and young stems. In winter they eat the bark of trees, favouring willow, poplars and alder. They have iron in the enamel on their teeth, which gives them extra strength for gnawing through wood, as well as making them a distinctive orange colour. They are crepuscular, meaning they are most active at dawn and dusk.

In 2022, beavers were officially recognised as a native species in England. This change in status afforded beavers the highest level of legal protection; safeguarding populations from persecution and ensuring management actions don't threaten the recovery of this native species. This also brings new challenges to landowners and farmers with beavers on or near their land, who may need more information and guidance about how to manage their land to support the beavers’ return. 

In April this year we launched the new Beaver Advice and Support Team (Bristol Avon and Somerset Frome), and I’m delighted to be working on this exciting new project. We have also just relaunched the regional Beaver Advisory Group, comprised of expert representatives from environmental charities, statutory bodies, and the public sector. To strengthen the team, we’re currently recruiting for a beaver field officer, to help gather data and to provide advice that supports coexistence with beavers. A fantastic job for anyone interested in beavers!

Applications close 4 August 2025

Our new team is looking for farmers or landowners who have wild beavers (not in enclosures) on or near their land and would like advice and support. 

An updated page on our website includes details about accessing support from the team, a guide to spotting beavers, and an area to log any beaver sightings. The page also lists some frequently asked questions and busts a few myths about beavers.

We’re keen to find out what the wild population of beavers are getting up to, so we can help them to live alongside us without risk of conflict or harm.