Overview
- Conservationists moved a family of five Eurasian beavers to Paradise Fields in 2023 and the colony has grown to at least eight animals with new litters this year.
- The beavers built dams and canals that created wetlands and, by their second winter at the site, project staff say Greenford tube station and nearby streets stopped experiencing routine flooding.
- The engineered ponds act like a sponge that slows and holds storm water, and staff report measurable increases in local wildlife such as fish, birds and insects tied to new deadwood and pond habitat.
- The site runs public guided 'beaver safaris' that sell out and help fund the project while raising local support for urban rewilding.
- Officials welcome the example as a nature-based flood solution but scientists and stakeholders warn that scaling up needs licensing, careful site suitability assessments and contingency plans to avoid damage to farmland or infrastructure.