Beaver Management Strategy

After an absence of approximately 400 years, beavers are now back in Somerset. As with all wildlife, beavers can offer multiple environmental, social and economic benefits but they also present challenges. Somerset Wildlife Trust was commissioned by the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group South West (FWAG-SW) with funding from the Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA) to produce a Beaver Management Strategy for the county. 

After significant background research of national and Somerset-specific environmental, social and economic opportunities and impacts beavers can effect and how those have been capitalised on or managed elsewhere, a draft Strategy has been created. We now need your input and feedback on that draft.

This will help all those who are being, or will be, personally or professionally impacted by beavers to live alongside this native and legally protected species, benefiting from the many positives and mitigating potential challenges existing and future free-living populations could bring, while still ensuring high standards of welfare for beavers and other wildlife. 

These events are open to anyone in Somerset, regardless of pre-existing knowledge about beavers, age or feelings about beavers' return to the county - everyone is welcome.