Our next talk on 19 March 2026, Mackenzie Hall, Brockweir
The introduction of beavers at two sites in the Forest of Dean will be the subject of a talk at a
meeting of the Parish Grasslands Project at the Mackenzie Hall, Brockweir on Thursday 19
March at 7.30pm. The speakers will be Stewart Cooper and Rob Cullen, project managers for
Forestry England at the Forest of Dean Beaver Project. Non-members are welcome to attend,
and admission is free. The talk will be preceded by the normally brief business of our annual
general meeting.
Beavers became extinct in England and Wales about 700 years ago as a result of over-hunting,
primarily for their fur. Working with experts from the Beaver Trust, Forestry England established
its first beaver enclosure in the country at Greathrough Brook, near Lydbrook, in 2018. In 2024 a
second Forest of Dean site was opened at Perry Hay Brook, near New Fancy. Pairs of beavers
were successfully introduced, with kits being born at both Forest sites over the last few years. A
raft of volunteers help to monitor the enclosures, and carry out conservation and repair work
where required.
In February 2025 the UK government announced a new policy framework that would effectively
allow licensed wild releases of beavers in England, marking a shift away from enclosed trials to
long-term landscape recovery. Forestry England is now consulting on a long-term release of
these beavers into the wild.
Reintroducing beavers: controversial or essential?
Martin Morris outlines benefits of bringing back nature’s “ecosystem engineers” to the
British countryside.
Reintroducing beavers into Britain’s countryside is considered by many to be a critical step in
addressing the climate and nature crisis in this country. Britain is now seen as one of the most
nature-depleted countries in the world. As “ecosystem engineers,” beavers can transform
landscapes through den-building and canal-digging, providing a range of natural solutions to
environmental problems.
The primary importance of their release includes the following:
1. Flood mitigation. Beaver dams create “leaky” barriers that slow down the flow of water
during heavy rainfall, with the potential for reducing peak flood levels downstream by up
to 60%.
2. Drought resilience. The ponds and wetlands created by beavers store water,
maintaining higher water tables and releasing water slowly during dry periods to keep
rivers flowing.
3. Biodiversity boost. As a keystone species (an organism that has a disproportionately
large effect on its natural environment relative to its small abundance) beavers create a
mosaic of habitats, such as ponds, wet meadows and deadwood, that can support a wide
variety of other wildlife, including a large number of invertebrates, otters, water voles,
fish, amphibians ,and birds.
4. Water quality improvement Their dams act as natural filters, trapping sediment and
pollutants like nitrates and phosphates from agricultural run-off, thus resulting in cleaner
water downstream.
5. Climate change. action Beaver-created wetlands are highly effective at sequestering
carbon, helping to capture greenhouse gases and store them in the soil.
Economic and social benefits The presence of beavers can boost local eco-tourism
and provide people with greater opportunities to connect with nature.