Legal beaver releases in Wales took place in Cors Dyfi Nature Reserve in Powys in 2021 when Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust applied and gained a licence to release six beavers. No applications exist at the moment, but Natural Resources Wales (NRW) say they are expecting one.
Supporters of reintroduction claim that they can help tackle important issues like flooding, creation of new habitats and are an important part of that process as environmental engineers.
Farmers and fishermen point to their negative effects on the landscape, damage to river banks, loss of productive land through flooding and a general concern over long term management and control of beaver populations, amongst other things.
NRW seek a clearer position on beaver reintroduction in Wales as part of a review and have asked Exeter University to conduct a public survey to gauge public opinion on beaver release and what are suitable locations.
The survey is likely to form part of the review and impact on the outcome of future licence applications for release.
The anonymous survey takes approximately 10-15 minutes complete. To have your say follow the this link
FUW view regarding the issue of beavers in Wales
The FUW is opposed to the reintroduction of beavers given the evidence of the damage they can directly and indirectly cause to farmland, crops and infrastructure, as well as the wider impacts that may occur for certain rural areas - for example, flooding of households, roads and similar infrastructure, including rendering roads impassable for emergency vehicles in areas with poor road infrastructure.
However, given the protection of beavers (and the presumption against lethal control) in England; the experience in other countries in terms of the spread of beavers, and the risk that legal and/or illegal beaver reintroduction will take place in Wales in spite of concerns, a sensible Welsh framework and strategy should be put in place to deal with:
1. Problems caused by existing populations
2. Problems caused by the spread of beavers into new territories
3. Proposed beaver reintroductions under licence
4. Illegal introductions
In terms of ensuring problems caused by beavers can be immediately addressed, Wales should not grant beavers protected status, as this would obstruct actions that need to take place - often urgently - to prevent significant damage or even potential risk to lives.
The FUW supports working with other bodies which share the Union’s concerns, in order to ensure a national strategy and framework is put in place that prevents problems from arising in the first place, and ensures approaches are in place to manage impacts should these arise, based on the experiences across Europe and more recently in the UK.
The creation of such a strategy and any ongoing management should be governed by a body that includes representatives of all interested parties, including farming organisations, the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA), Traffic Wales and Network Rail. Such a body should be adequately resourced and prepared to balance the desires of those who wish to see beavers reintroduced with the interests of other species and Welsh habitats, property and infrastructure owners and managers and all relevant stakeholders.
Should beaver reintroduction be allowed by the authorities, those responsible for the release should be legally responsible for negating all adverse impacts, including consequential financial losses and costs for farmers and others, as well as the costs of any control/dam removal etc.