Rewilding, a form of conservation where missing species are reintroduced in such a way that nature takes the lead (typically with the support of distant human management) is crucial to maintaining healthy ecosystems across the globe. Therefore it is cause for immense celebration that on March 5th, two wild beavers were released in Dorset.
The beavers were found originally at Little Sea, Studland, after possibly migrating from another country or being illegally freed. After two months of them being cared for in captivity, it was agreed they could be released into a suitable location where they would be more likely to survive. In the past there have been several beaver reintroductions across the UK, mostly captive release schemes where the beavers are located in a restricted area, unable to roam free. But the Dorset Beavers have no boundaries and can wander uninhibited. The National Trust is the organisation behind this, calling it a "real watershed moment in the history of the species," according to the BBC.
In other parts of the world, beavers are notoriously known as a keystone species: a species that has a greater effect on the community than its abundance would suggest. They can change watercourses, increasing the heterogeneity of our wetlands, improve water pH and quality, providing suitable breeding grounds for many invertebrates and fish as well as increasing primary production. They can store and release water in times of drought, helping to preserve nature during the abnormal heatwaves in recent years, and meaning they play an incredibly important role in shaping wetland landscapes and overall have a positive effect on the ecosystem.
Beavers were once native to the whole of the UK, but were hunted to extinction for their fur and meat in the 16th century, and with their population gone, so went many of our lakes, mires, and bogs. Beavers have been considered a native species in the UK again since 2022, but the government haven't put in place the proper procedures to ensure that they can flourish.
Insufficient resources and public opinion are the greatest setbacks rewilding projects face. In 2021, what was believed to be a successful rewilding in Plymouth resulted in a lot of negative publicity. Storm damage to the beavers enclosure allowed Beryl the beaver to escape. Unfortunately Beryl was hit by a car, resulting in her death. Her mate, Brian, was found shortly after, alive and well, and was relocated to a new enclosure with reinforced materials. Situations like this can make the public believe rewilding to be a bad thing, which it is anything but.
Rewilding Britain is an organisation that promotes the benefits and shows the results of rewilding. They aim to see rewilding thrive across Britain, creating a connection to the natural world and tackling the looming reality of extinction and climate change, and help the wider public understand how essential rewilding is.
As with beavers, many other rewilded species are essential in creating a thriving ecosystem. With a thriving ecosystem comes job opportunities and tourism, especially to coastal towns where eco-tourism is a major contributor to the economy. Rewilding is also one of the first steps to fixing the climate crisis. Trees, mangroves, seagrass, saltmarshes, and other ecosystems (which are strengthed by rewilding) can store carbon dioxide very well. The more ecosystems that are available, the greater the amount of carbon that can leave the atmosphere. Also, when reintroducing lost species, homogenous habitats can be shaped into something more diverse, allowing other species the chance to thrive alongside them, increasing biodiversity.
Reintroducing species can additionally strengthen communities, as rewilding projects require co-operation across many sectors, such as scientific, financial, public, and agricultural. Therefore there is growing hope that the two Dorset Beavers will be the beginning of a series of successful reintroductions in the South West and the rest of the UK as a whole.
Image courtesy of Swanage News.
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