An article from Do or Die Issue 8. In the
paper edition, this article appears on page(s)
62.
Leave it to Beaver!
Rodents on the Rebound
Hot on the hooves of "In Tusks We Trust" (see DoD No. 7, p.9) comes evidence
of beavers escaping from captivity and living successfully in the wild in
Britain. Along with escapes into Loch Lomond and in Essex, the two most
significant incidents so far have been in Ashdown Forest (East Sussex/Kent) and
on the River Axe in Somerset. One of the two males that escaped in Ashdown
Forest in Spring 1998 is still at large, and has established a bankside lodge on
a lake system in the upper catchment of the Medway. It has been felling trees
and building up a large food store of branches that resembles a huge swan's
nest. There are no plans to recapture it at present - most people don't even
realise it is there! There are conflicting stories about the Somerset colony,
but all agree that two beavers from a local wildlife park settled on backwaters
of the River Axe in 1969. According to some local sources they have obviously
bred well, with 8 or 9 animals present up to at least Summer 1995, and they have
even been constructing dams!
Unfortunately, however, it should be pointed out that all of these examples
are Canadian beavers. It is feared that such escapes might prejudice any future
reintroduction of European beavers to Britain by outcompeting them, as has
happened with the release of both species in Finland.
It looked as if we could be on the verge of a historic breakthrough,
following Scottish Natural Heritage's Summer 1998 public consultation over
whether to reintroduce the beaver to Scotland. 60% of respondents were in favour
- perhaps our countryside might once again enjoy the huge ecological benefits
the beaver brings (see "No Evolution Without Revolution", Do or Die No 6, p.38),
after a gap of 400 years. Might this also pave the way for an ambitious
rebuilding of Britain's severely impoverished fauna through further mammal
reintroductions?
But no, this is Scottish Natural Heritage we're talking about here - the
notorious lapdog of the big Scottish landowners and their feudal status quo. In
this case, "interest groups[ie. forestry and fisheries] have expressed
concerns". Never mind that beaver reintroductions are now standard practice in
Europe; or that there's reams of evidence demonstrating that they have minimal
impact on such "interests" - indeed, that they massively enhance river
environments. So, while we will almost certainly get an initial reintroduction
scheme, probably with a population from Norway, SNH are desperate to placate the
groundless worries of the special interests. Hence it will be a "very small"
pilot project, it won't start for at least two or three years, and will be
"studied to the nth degree", dragging on for years - presumably with no
guarantee of a full-blown programme at the end of it, if the lairds are still
terrified of rampaging furry rodents with fat tails. While careful planning and
sensible protocols are necessary - badly planned programmes elsewhere in Europe
have caused problems for the beavers themselves - SNH's approach is feeble and
overcautious. One can only hope the Norwegian beavers show the same initiative
as their Canadian cousins: breaking out and disappearing as soon as they cross
the North Sea.
There are exciting plans afoot to set up an interpretive centre for the
beaver in Britain, highlighting its long and significant role in the past and
its inspiring potential for the future. The people behind the centre already
have one pair of European beavers and plan to bring more over in 2000 (from
Scandinavia or Poland), with a view to establishing a breeding group for
eventual release. Beavers' activities (such as tree-felling, dam-building,
'canal' construction, etc.) are a potent force for the natural disturbance and
succession processes that are missing in our landscape. The ultimate intention
is to take advantage of these effects, placing the beavers on nature reserves
and other sites.
Contact (Donations appreciated!)
Derek Gow
Wildwood Centre
Wealden Forest Park
Herne
Common
Kent CT6 7LQ
Tel: 01227 712111