'Engineer' beavers released into the wild

Beavers have been released into the wild in Somerset for the first time.

Two groups of Eurasian beavers were released on the National Trust-run Holnicote Estate on Exmoor on Tuesday, under the second licences to be issued since the government decided to reintroduce them into the wild in England.

"These ecosystem engineers play a vital role in slowing water flow, creating and holding wetland habitats, reducing erosion [and] improving water quality," said National Trust project manager Ben Eardley.

A local farmer said he was "relaxed" about the release but wanted assurances on the long-term strategy for rewilding Exmoor.

Beavers had previously been reintroduced to the Holnicote Estate but within enclosures, whereas these new beavers will be able to roam freely, with more to be released over the coming days.

While the National Trust emphasised beavers were not a "quick fix" it said they could play their part in reducing flooding in the region, which has been badly hit in recent weeks.

Marian Spain, the chief executive of Natural England - the advisory body which issues wild beaver licences - said the release was part of "broader ambitions on Exmoor" including the reintroduction of white-tailed eagles and pine martens.

Hunted to extinction in Britain 400 years ago, beavers have been making a comeback in the last two decades.

It is thought about 500 beavers are already living in England, some in the wild and others in enclosures.

Some of the animals - which were given legal protection in 2022 - made their way back into England's rivers through escapes from enclosures and illegal releases.

Some farmers are concerned that without proper management the large rodents could have negative impacts on food production.

Farmer Robin Milton - who also serves as a North Devon councillor and as a deputy chair of Exmoor National Park Authority - said while he was "quite relaxed" about the beavers being released, he "maybe had a few concerns" in the long term about the number of different animals being reintroduced.

"I'd like to make sure there's really clear understanding in place about what we do should things go wrong: a dam in the wrong place, a bunch of trees sawn down; I don't want to see them eating their way through what they call a temperate rainforest," he said.

Milton added he would like to see "a broader policy" instead of a "piecemeal approach" to reintroducing native species.

The National Trust said it had been working closely with farmers and speaking to residents and neighbours ahead of the release.

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