Defra has announced new legislation that will provide legal protections for beavers in England and could pave the way for the animals to be released into the wild under licence.

The Wildlife Trusts welcome the protections for “nature’s engineers”, calling for sensible management guidance and incentives for landowners to make space for beavers on their land.

Beavers are key to creating thriving wetland ecosystems – which are critical for climate adaptation –and provide a wealth of benefits for nature and people. 

Government had promised the legislation would be laid in parliament on Tuesday July 19 but pulled the plug at the 11th hour, causing uproar among nature charities and the wider public. But it changed its mind after pressure from the Wildlife Trusts, which has already seen successful reintroductions across many counties in the UK, including Cheshire.

The change in legal status will make it an offence to deliberately capture, kill, disturb, or injure beavers, or damage their breeding sites or resting places – without holding the appropriate license. The legislation is scheduled to come into force in the autumn.

Natural England is developing guidance on the management of beavers, setting out which actions will or will not require a licence, and where people can go for advice.

Craig Bennett, chief executive, The Wildlife Trusts, said: “We’re delighted to see the Government give beavers the vital protections they deserve. It is important that guidance is now developed quickly to bring farmers and landowners on board with reintroductions of these brilliant animals, providing reassurance and, crucially, incentives to make space for beavers on their land.

“The widespread return of wild beavers can be a game changer for restoring lost wetlands, benefitting all kinds of wildlife, and helping people by holding water back in the landscape, reducing the risk of wildfires and reducing the risk of flooding downstream.”

In July 2022, news of beaver kits was announced by Derbyshire, Cheshire and Dorset Wildlife Trusts at enclosed projects on nature reserves. There are now more than 20 wild beaver territories on the River Otter catchment, monitored by Devon Wildlife Trust. Five kits arrived in 2022 to one of the original females in the River Otter Beaver Trial. The Welsh Beaver Project, led by Wildlife Trusts Wales, saw its first kit born at an enclosure on Cors Dyfi nature reserve, Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust.

Head of Campaigns at Lancashire Wildlife Trust, Alan Wright said: “While any reintroduction in our region is still very much at the discussion stage, it would not surprise me to see beavers reintroduced here in the years to come.

 “We need to find the perfect place which will both benefit beavers, and the local area, managing floods and supporting other wildlife by creating new habitats. Legal protections for these wonderful creatures is vital if our plans can move forward from the draft stages.”

The Wildlife Trusts urge the Government to:

• Support ambitious and carefully targeted reintroduction projects
• Reward landowners who make space for wetlands created by beavers
• Develop management systems that protect beavers and resolve issues effectively
• Support local beaver management groups to deliver advice and assistance

Beavers are a ‘keystone species’ and have a highly positive impact on their environment.  The industrious herbivores are native to mainland Britain but were hunted to extinction in the 16th century by people who wanted their fur, meat, and scent glands. The end of beavers led to the loss of the mosaic of lakes, meres, mires, tarns, and boggy places that they were instrumental in creating.