Page 27 - BBC Wildlife Volume 36 #02

Gillian: Nina Constable; Aigas: Laurie Campbell/NPL; Nick Upton x 5

these industrious mammals are once more an intrinsic
part of our landscape. The project is a partnership “ THIS BEAVER PROJECT WILL
between Chris Jones, the Cornwall Wildlife Trust and a
team of scientists led by hydrologist Prof Richard Brazier PRODUCE DATA THAT COULD
from the University of Exeter. But calling it a partnership
INFORM POLICY-MAKING IN
doesn’t quite do it justice. The collaboration has
developed into friendship; trust and good communication
WESTMINSTER AND HOLYROOD.”
are the hallmarks of an ambitious scheme that has taken
hard graft to get off the ground.
The Trust had wanted to organise a beaver project for management problems but it is important to note that
some time, but had been drawing blanks when it came to they aren’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Much of the South-
Below: the finding a suitable release site. At the same time, the small west, particularly Cornwall, is ideal beaver territory since
beaver’s broad village of Ladock, just 1.5km downstream from Woodland there is little by way of low-lying farmland or forestry.
torso and stubby Valley Farm, had been hit hard by repeated flooding after The same cannot be said of many other lowland areas in
legs are ideal
for building a barrage of winter storms. Chris saw a potential solution, England, including much of Somerset or Norfolk.
dams and lodges approached the Trust, and the rest is history. One balmy
(above). A beaver evening last June, after an absence of over 400 years, FIRST STEPS
lodge consists of beavers were finally back in Cornwall. Speaking to Cheryl Marriott, head of nature conservation
logs, branches,
sticks and stones It is hard to overstate the significance of this conservation at the Cornwall Wildlife Trust, it is clear that amid all
and has well- milestone. Together with the trials on Devon’s River Otter, at the excitement around the beaver release there is a need
Knapdale in Scotland and (soon) in the Forest of Dean, this
nsu
i insulated walls. . Knapdale in Scotland and (soon) in the Forest o to tread carefully at this early, fact-finding stage of the
s
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ate
l
wa
project will produce data that could inform policy-
pr p oject will produce data that could in project. The Trust recently sent some of the key players
making in Westminster and Ho to south-east Germany, where beavers were introduced
making in Westminster and Holyrood. But,
for now, I’m keen to see how
for now, I’m keen to see how the Cornish in Bavaria in 1966. By looking at longer-running projects
pair are settling into their new digs.
pa p ir are settling into their ne like the one in Bavaria, the Trust can spot potential
This is my second visit to C problems before they arise.
T Th
This is my second visit to Chris’s
T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T
Th
farm and I am stunned by how quickly Cheryl emphasises that the Trust has yet to decide its
fa fa fa fa fa f f f f f f f f f f f f f fa f f f f f f f f f fa f f f f f f f f f fa f fa f f f f f f f f f f fa f f rm and I am stunned by h
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the beavers have set about m
the beavers have set about making formal position on further beaver reintroductions until it has
alterations to their enclosure. In the six evaluated the Woodland Valley trial, and its wider impact. “It
alterations to their enclosure.
weeks between my visits, the b would be remiss of us to ignore the possible negative impact
weeks between my visits, the beaver pond
has doubled in size and more than doubled
has doubled in size and more tha on some individuals or communities,” she says.
in depth. In a year or two, we will almost
in depth. In a year or two, we will In Bavaria, as in this country, it is farmers who have most
certainly need waders. concerns about beaver reintroductions. Crucially, Chris
certainly need waders.
Beavers offer an attractively natural, low-
Beavers offer an attractively natu joined the team on the Bavaria trip so that he could talk
cost solution to many landscape and water- farmer-to-farmer about the reality of living alongside
cost solution to many landscape an
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