Though not in the legal sense, the European beaver trial was no doubt a major development in the lives of the furry and clever creatures. Beavers were hunted to extinction in the UK in the early 1500s, with only a few stalwart groups remaining in Europe by the 1900s. The cards were essentially stacked against beavers: they were easy to catch, good to eat and their dense yet soft fur could be used for clothing and hats.
Thanks to consumption of willow trees, their glands were filled with salicylic acid, regarded as a cure-all during mediaeval times. A single gland could be worth an entire year’s wages for workers during that time. Now, the keystone species is being regarded as a means to combat global warming and assist with drought and flooding issues, not to mention contributing important wetland habitats for the benefit of a number of species: birds, insects, fish and frogs. So, in August of 2020, beavers were provided official permission by the British government to remain in their home of Devon after a five-year introductory trial. Notably, this marked the first legally sanctioned reintroduction of an extinct native mammal to England. In August 2020, the first beavers to live in England for centuries were given official permission by the government to remain in their home in Devon after a five-year reintroduction trial. This was the first legally sanctioned reintroduction of an extinct native mammal to England. Widely viewed by experts as an integral part of the landscape, they were forced to extinction by human activity. “With the loss of a species comes the loss of balance within the ecosystem and ultimately a more vulnerable, less resilient, environment,” according to the article. The dominoes are, essentially, falling more quickly as climate change produces more extreme weather and river systems have become more restricted. There is a resulting biodiversity crisis. Beavers are now receiving the notice and credit they long-deserved as ecosystem engineers and are being regarded as a possible solution to some problems. Now, they have been brought back thanks to reintroduction plans in 27 European countries. Beavers have a remarkable ability to “restore and change degraded habitats, transforming small insignificant streams into cascading mosaics of dams, pools and wetlands.” These habitats help to alleviate flooding, increase biodiversity, improve water quality, and for improved community engagement. Some findings from the trials demonstrate the power and influence beavers have on the natural world and how they can help the land and water quality in numerous ways. In 2009, the Scottish Wildlife Trust released the first wild beavers to step foot on that land in about 400 years, in Knapdale Forest, Argyll. They got to work, temporarily increasing the water storage in the larger lochs, which elevated and stabilised water levels in small lochs, which reduced the impact of flooding downstream. The greatest influence was seen in a small pond called Dubh loch where a dam caused a rise in water level of 1.1m, reduced the rate of water flow out of the pond and alleviated flooding of the local area. The beavers’ handiwork also increased the habitat diversity of the site and provided more places for different species. The project was regarded as so successful that the Scottish Government was persuaded to allow beavers to remain and granted the species legally protected status. Comments are closed.
|
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
August 2022
Categories |