NATURE: Beaver fever brings real benefits

It’s a fact. For too long we have seen ourselves as the ultimate engineers of our planet. Eager to wrest land from nature’s own bosom, we channeled rivers and streams to remove floodwater from natural flood plains, at first ignorant and then uncaring of the fact that rushing water from where it wants to lie creates catastrophic floods for people living in low places.
Tired of working on waterlogged bog we drained it to the limit, unaware of the problems caused by the consequent decomposition of peat, including the release of vast quantities of greenhouse gases that pollute the skies and the air we breathe as well as the mineralisation of nutrients that go on to pollute our own drinking water.
Despite widespread alarm at the consequence of our actions, we compound them by cutting down trees as if they have no place in our world. We exterminate deer, lest we must somehow share; badger is even less welcome. If there were no eyes on the eagle, would he still soar above? We know, he would not.
We are not alone, for the print of man is rarely kind; obliterate, eliminate, multiply the wrong. It is, as the prophet said, ‘Calamity on calamity!’.
Now, imagine there was one able to offer real solutions in a short period of time. Who could undo a century’s worth of wetland destruction at no monetary cost? Who could restore lost biodiversity, with no consultancy fees? Who could renew, mend and repair, perform miracles before our eyes, and not charge a penny through the entire process?
Enter Castor fiber, the European beaver.
This little beast will max out at a meter in length and 30kg in weight. He muscular jaws are fitted with orange chisel-teeth capable of cutting through standing hardwood trees with just a few small strokes. He also has very warm, water-repellant fur and is reputedly very good to eat, should his numbers run out of control.
Beavers were once widespread through most of Europe, but hunting pressure caused them to become extinct in one place after another. In the United Kingdom they disappeared at some point in the 17th century.
We have no evidence they ever lived this far to the west, but just because we have no proof, that doesn’t tell us for sure. Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. If you ask me, I’d say they were here alright, if only so we can then call them native and have them reintroduced.

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After a 400-hundred-year absence from the UK, Castor fiber was discovered living on the River Otter in the south-west of England. He didn’t find his own way there, but was obviously the subject of a clandestine and at the time illegal release from captivity.
The discovery caused consternation among various authorities. ‘Animals?’ they asked with quivering jowls. ‘In the countryside? Preposterous!’
Despite threats uttered against them the newly released beaver family managed to multiply their numbers until everyone that cares to look can see the benefits they bring. There are now nearly 30 separate beaver territories on that one river system, and work is ongoing to populate other waterways up and down the country, a project that was finally given official approval in February of this year.
In many other parts of Europe where these animals were once known to thrive, more colonies of beaver are also being reestablished. It is as though highly contagious Beaver Fever has struck. Environmental benefits have been great.
Beavers naturally build dams, felling trees and chewing them into suitably sized portions for that very purpose. It’s what they do. These dams create wetlands of various sizes, each of which holds water enough for the animals to swim in, holding it back in times of heavy rain and releasing it slowly in times of drought, thus helping streams to keep flowing and the creatures within them to stay alive.
Flood events on rivers holding beaver populations are greatly reduced. Further, the dammed areas fill with aquatic vegetation, which creates a natural filter to remove excess nutrient from the water. Insects, fish and birds all benefit from the flooded areas. Biodiversity is given the shot in the arm that it very much needs. There are few situations where everyone’s a winner, but in this case it appears to be true.
Are there areas that would benefit from the introduction of beaver here? There are, unquestionably.
Will we welcome them, one day? We should. While Castor fiber, the European beaver, is no silver bullet for our self-imposed environmental ills, he would be a step in the right direction. Let’s get some.