Devon Beaver Project

The purpose of this project is to trial the use of European beavers as a wetland management ‘tool’ in an enclosed area of wetland in the headwaters of Roadford reservoir in west Devon. The project aims to assess the effects of beaver activity on Culm wetlands (BAP habitat – Purple Moor Grass & Rush Pasture) and, on their capacity to deliver ecosystem services.

Beavers are widely recognised as having a positive impact on hydrology, biodiversity and flood management. Given the right conditions, the return of this formerly native mammal ‘nature’s aquatic engineer’, has the potential to dramatically improve the quality of the UK’s Rivers & Streams (UK BAP). The beaver was hunted to extinction in Britain around 400 years ago.