MEMBERS of the public are being urged to learn more about beavers as the species continues to grow as a result of conservation efforts.
Beavers were hunted to extinction 400 years ago in Scotland but have since been reintroduced slowly back into Scottish wildlife in 2009 before becoming a protected species in 2019.
The Scottish Beaver Advisory Group (SBAG) have recently published a new information pack that aims to support and advise communities, businesses, land managers, and wildlife lovers on how to deal with living alongside beavers.
Nadia Flaherty, policy adviser at Scottish Land & Estates, said: “With beavers back in Scotland and their numbers growing, it is important that we learn about them, how to live alongside them, but also how and when to manage and mitigate any negative impacts.”
Tree felling, damming, and burrowing are potential adverse consequences from beaver activity and can impact infrastructure, land management and other species in the environment.
Sarah Robinson, Scottish Wildlife Trust’s director of conservation, and chair of the SBAG comms sub-group, said: “With beavers expanding into new areas, more people may be encountering beavers and their activities for the first time. These resources provide a helpful introduction for individuals, communities and land managers to learn more.”
Beavers provide many benefits for the local environment and are considered a keystone species with their activities shaping and creating wetland areas that contribute to the ecosystem. Importantly, beavers help reduce flooding, improve the quality of water, and attract tourism for local businesses.
Jenny Bryce, NatureScot beaver team manager, said: “The beaver population is growing and will continue to spread across Scotland. This is partly through planned releases to new suitable areas, as well as through natural expansion as young beavers grow up, leave their family units and start families of their own.
“So, now is a really good time to learn about these native animals and the benefits and impacts they can have. We hope that these resources will help raise awareness and understanding of beavers as we all learn to live alongside them again.”
This new information pack can be found at: https://www.nature.scot/scottish-beaver-advisory-group-sbag-resources
