Devon is in the unique position of being the only county in England with thriving beaver populations on several rivers. Beaver activities have proved beneficial in combatting England’s freshwater environment challenges and Devon Wildlife Trust is harnessing this on the Tamar. Working closely with landowners, this project provides practical solutions and interventions, finding ways for landowners to benefit from making space for beaver-created wetlands.

The project will build on the success of previous reintroduction efforts, showcasing Devon as a leader in innovative conservation practices and demonstrating how to scale up ecological restoration efforts nationally. The Tamar Beaver Project will work to display and support the role of beavers in ecosystem restoration and inspire widespread support for their role in conservation.

Key deliverables include:

• Identify key opportunity sites where it is possible to maximise the benefits of beavers and harness river restoration benefits.
• Use expert advice to offer quality guidance to stakeholders.
• Advocate with Government to give the River Tamar population the same status as the River Otter, also exploring opportunities for further wild release to reinforce genetics.
• Ongoing monitoring of beaver populations and their ecological impacts, including water quality, biodiversity, and habitat changes utilising knowledge of experienced specialist.

Image credits: Devon Wildlife Trust