Overview
- Natural England approved the National Trust’s second wild-release licence, enabling half a dozen beavers to be released on the Holnicote Estate on Exmoor on Tuesday.
- Cornwall Wildlife Trust legally released two pairs into the Par and Fowey catchments on Monday in the county’s first fully licensed wild beaver release.
- Project leaders say beaver dams and wetlands slow river flows, reduce flood peaks, store water in dry spells, curb erosion, and improve water quality.
- Officials acknowledge local risks such as flooded roads and farmland or damage to crops including maize and cricket bat willow, prompting monitoring and mitigation plans.
- The Wildlife Trusts indicate further expansion is planned, with a goal of about 100 beavers across seven rivers this year if remaining applications are approved.