If you hate beavers, you’re sorely misguided

In the middle of Liz Truss’s declaration of war on the scraps of nature left in Britain, this week marked a positive milestone for regeneration efforts. From 1 October, the Eurasian beaver has been given protected native species status, following successful reintroductions over the last 20 years by various groups and individuals, into a small number of river basins. Humans benefit greatly from beaver reintroductions too; as their dams regulate river basin waterflows – slowing them down – thus protecting down-river towns and helping farmers by ensuring rivers do not dry out in droughts. Derek was adamant that this month’s historic protection was due to the tenacity of various individuals acting on their own initiative, by importing and trialling enclosed beaver reintroduction experiments, rather than governmental or institutional initiatives. Derek explains that it can take nearly a year to get a permit to move excess beavers from the river Tay, yet it takes a farmer only seconds to shoot one dead – despite the enormous benefits beaver reintroductions can bring to the rest of Scotland.