Beavers Return to the Wild: A Landmark Step for England’s Waterways

On the 28^th February 2025, the UK Government set out its plans to return wild-living beavers to English waterways. Within a week, ERF grantee partner Beaver Trust, a key advisor to the UK Government on beaver management and a leading advocate for their reintroduction, played a pivotal role in a historic National Trust-led release.

In a landmark event for nature conservation, the National Trust released the first two pairs of Eurasian beavers to live in the wild in Purbeck, Dorset – an area rich in lakes, watercourses and dense willow woodland. Designated as a ‘super National Nature Reserve’, Purbeck is also home to many rare species, including water voles, keeled skimmer dragonflies and small bladderwort carnivorous plants. The beaver pairs were relocated from the River Tay catchment in Scotland by Beaver Trust.

Dr Roisin Campbell-Palmer, Head of Restoration at Beaver Trust stated; “We’re delighted to support England’s first wild release here… it’s a great site for these animals and we look forward to supporting their expansion.  In order to realise the societal benefits beavers can bring, their population needs far greater number across the country.”

Beavers were hunted to extinction in Britain in the 16^th century for their fur, meat and scent glands. Their return is expected to play a crucial role in ecosystem restoration. Often referred to as nature’s engineers, beavers’ dam building creates wetland habitats that support countless other species. These dams also help mitigate the effects 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.

For this reintroduction to succeed at scale, key policies must be in place. Beaver Trust has outlined essential considerations, including:

• A clear licensing framework that sets out achievable criteria for wild beaver reintroductions.
• A commitment and timeframe to developing a national strategy for beavers in England in order to ensure national scale, integrated and strategic thinking around beaver reintroductions and existing wild populations.
• A Government commitment to leading by example by supporting beaver restoration on publicly owned land
• A timeline for when Natural England will begin the process of issuing licences for the release of beavers into appropriate locations.

This historic release marks a turning point in England’s efforts to restore biodiversity and harness natural solutions to environmental challenges. Beaver Trust remains committed to working with the Government and conservation partners to ensure a thriving future for beavers and the landscapes they help transform.