Natasha Dodds, Ecological Consultant at RSK Biocensus, has recently completed a two-day beaver training course in Devon provided by the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM).
The first day of the course blended classroom sessions with hands-on fieldwork, exploring the history of beavers in the UK, their current distribution, and the expanding scope of reintroduction projects. A significant focus was placed on recognising a wide variety of beaver field signs, essential for conducting thorough ecological surveys.
Participants practiced identifying distinctive features such as burrows and lodges (beaver-built shelters along riverbanks)—as well as haul paths, which are well-worn tracks beavers use to move between water and feeding sites. The group also examined beaver canals, these are shallow waterways dug to facilitate movement and food transport, and inspected the construction and ecological impact of dams, which beavers build to create ponds and wetlands. This practical experience was complemented by discussions on licencing requirements for beaver reintroductions, providing a detailed look at the regulatory processes that underpin their successful return to British ecosystems.
On the second day, the focus shifted to mitigation strategies and the range of licences available for managing beaver impacts. A key part of the training was a practical group activity in which they analysed a series of real-world beaver management scenarios.
Working in teams, the participants reviewed case studies that illustrated complex situations arising from beaver activity, such as localised flooding, agricultural impacts, and potential conflicts with infrastructure. Each group discussed possible mitigation options and considered the ecological, social, and legal implications of different approaches. They then presented their feedback on the likely impacts of each scenario and shared recommendations for effective mitigation, which started a valuable discussion with trainers and peers. This hands-on exercise deepened their understanding of the practical challenges and decision-making processes involved in beaver management.
Reflecting on the course, Natasha said:
“The course was really engaging and encouraged deeper thought into the range of potential impacts and the methods to mitigate, whilst enabling biodiversity’s secret weapon (the beaver) to flourish. The knowledge learnt will be extremely beneficial in the future, especially with the growing number of planned licensed beaver releases throughout United Kingdom.
Beavers serve as vital keystone species and natural engineers, fundamentally altering the environments they inhabit. Their arrival brings dramatic changes to rivers, streams, and lakes, turning them into richer and more diverse habitats. Seeing a place where beavers have been reintroduced quickly reveals how much is missing in wetlands without them.
As ecosystem engineers, beavers must cause some disruption. They cut down trees, construct dams, and dig canals, leaving the landscape somewhat messy. However, this untidiness introduces diversity, which in turn enhances both biodiversity and the ecosystem’s ability to recover from challenges. When beavers cut down trees, the wood remains in the ecosystem, woven into dams and lodges. This deadwood offers a home for insects, which in turn become nourishment for a variety of creatures including reptiles, amphibians, bats, and birds among them. Many of the chopped trees send up fresh shoots, providing new food for other wildlife. The open spaces left by felled trees allow meadows and grasslands to develop, supporting wildflowers, bees, more insects, and water voles. Beavers dig canals to transport branches, which creates additional wetland pockets along river corridors, places where even more life flourishes. Behind their dams, still pools form, providing habitats for fish, frogspawn, and dragonflies. Bats swoop low over these waters to feed on insects, and birds like kingfishers take advantage of the abundance. Instead of a narrow, overgrown waterway, beaver activity transforms the area into a thriving, diverse wetland corridor. By revitalising ecosystems, beavers promote greater biodiversity, which makes these environments more adaptable and resilient to storms and droughts.
An additional bonus was that the course was located at the ‘Rewilding Coombeshead’ site in Lifton, Devon. This project, spearheaded by Derek Gow, aims to reintroduce a wide range of species formally extinct in the UK. I was able to encounter rewilding helpers such as the beaver, wild pigs, Exmoor ponies and a small herd of gigantic water buffalos, wallowing through the wetland, creating new ponds for amphibians and other wildlife. They also have European lynx, wild cats, boar, white and black storks and a little owl on the grounds. A truly enlightening experience of what the future could hold for the UK with its hierarchy of extinct wild species recovered.”
We are delighted to hear about Natasha’s successful participation in this course and look forward to hearing more about this in the future.