A speech by the Secretary of State for the Environment, George Eustice, yesterday contained a number of announcements, including this comment on beaver reintroductions:
‘After a successful release in Devon, we are now looking positively towards the reintroduction of beavers and further releases of this iconic species in England. Our consultation, to be issued later this summer, will outline our approach to this, and the management of beavers in the wild. We will particularly consider reintroductions where the benefits are clear, where there are strong partnerships and agreement from stakeholders. Our approach will acknowledge the potential of beavers as a keystone species whilst working closely with local communities.’
Check out our Beaver Resource Hub for information on beavers, their impact and management. WTT will, of course, be responding to the consultation and we will publish our response on the website.
The speech also mentioned the ‘England Trees Action Plan’ which includes ‘Woodlands for Water’ which will promote the planting of riparian trees as wildlife corridors and buffer zones.
Other key points from the speech:
- legally binding target for species abundance for 2030
- a ‘re-focusing’ of habitat regulations
- a plan to ban sales of peat and invest in restoring peat bogs
- a species reintroductions task force
Full details: Press Release and transcript of the speech.
