Could beavers roam wild in Essex again?

A new report by The Wildlife Trusts says reintroducing beavers into the wild may benefit nature and our climate, as they manage rivers and wetlands naturally through coppicing trees and building dams.

The charity would like there to be licences for releasing beavers into the wild across England and Wales, rather than only in fenced enclosures, with government funding to support their return.

Sarah Brockless is the Principal Ecologist at the Spains Hall Estate in Finchingfield, where beavers were reintroduced in 2019 to help reduce flooding.

Picture credit: Spains Hall Estate.