Beavers, the creatures not seen in the UK and the British Isles since the early 1500s, are returning to these fair isles. They are popping up because passionate people all over the UK are reintroducing this keystone species. The irony is that the return of these creatures, which we hunted into extinction hundreds of years ago, may help save lives and livelihoods today.
Beavers once had a healthy population all over the British Isles. But, they were hunted into oblivion for their fur and scent glands - seriously, their scent glands. The scent glands are called castor sacs and were made into a tincture used in some perfumes and as a food additive. Our ancestors of yore were not well regarded for their hygiene, yet they still managed to hunt beavers into extinction to make perfume.
Beavers can do more for people than harvesting their scent sacs. When left alive, beavers perform a number of services, including boosting biodiversity, helping areas defend against floods, purifying water, and reducing the impacts of droughts. Beavers habitually perform these services for the inflation-proof price of FREE ninety-nine!
Where beavers build, biodiversity blooms
Their dams create calm waters, attracting insects, fish, and amphibians. These, in turn, draw birds, bats, and mammals. As beavers fell trees, they create deadwood habitats and open sunlit spaces, encouraging plant life to flourish. Trees like willows have evolved alongside beavers and respond to gnawing by sprouting new growth, creating more complex habitats for wildlife. Otters, martens, and reptiles often repurpose old beaver burrows, and large dams can even serve as wildlife corridors across the landscape.
Natural Flood Defenders
Beavers also have a knack for holding back water. Their dams slow rivers down, reduce peak flows, and store water in braided channels and ponds. This helps protect farmland and downstream towns from flooding while replenishing groundwater and preserving valuable topsoil. In periods of heavy rain, their structures act like sponges—soaking up excess and releasing it slowly.
Silent Water Purifiers
They play a surprising role in water purification, too. Dams trap sediment and absorb nitrates and phosphates from agricultural runoff—nutrients that can otherwise trigger toxic algal blooms. In beaver ponds, helpful bacteria break down pollutants, reducing the need for expensive water treatment.
Guardians Against Drought
Beaver wetlands hold onto water long after the land dries out. Deep ponds stay cool in summer and remain unfrozen in winter, giving fish, plants, and animals vital refuge when conditions are harsh.
Beavers Are Back—And They’re Not Stopping!
Scotland is home to the largest wild beaver population in Great Britain. They have been thriving in the Tay catchment and are making their way into the River Forth.
Down in England, around 500 of these incredible creatures are living free, and that number is only set to grow as the government is granting licenses for beaver releases. March 2025 saw the first beavers set loose in Purbeck Heath, Dorset.
Meanwhile, Wales is slowly catching up—backing the idea of reintroducing beavers under managed plans, with an official announcement in September 2024.
To sum up
Beavers don’t just build dams. They shape entire ecosystems—cooler, wetter, more diverse, and better prepared for the extremes of climate change. Their return is a quiet, muddy, and hopeful revolution.
Why are we telling you about all the wonderful things that beavers do? We wish to join the fray by introducing beavers where appropriate, particularly on our latest land purchase. This land purchase is 70 contiguous acres with some riverfront acreage that would benefit from beavers and general conversion to wetlands. Beavers and wetlands will benefit the local environment, biodiversity, and the downstream.