Beavers could help stop flooding, council says

Plans are being drawn up to re-introduce beavers to parts of Leicestershire.

Leicestershire County Council said the semi-aquatic rodents could be part of efforts to prevent flooding and restore natural habitats.

Beavers were hunted to extinction across England by the 16th Century but recent restoration schemes have seen the animals' population rise to about 1,000, experts have said.

Adam Tilbury, the council's cabinet member for environment and flooding, said he was keen to see the creatures returned to sites across the county.

Tilbury said the council was looking at the possibility of bringing beavers into parts of country parks run by the council.

"We are at the very early stages of this but we all know Leicestershire is very badly affected by flooding and beavers are great natural engineers who could be one part of the solution."

Dams built by beavers can slow down water flows reducing the volume of water entering flood-prone areas.

The dams also create wetland areas which allow other wildlife to flourish, according to the Beaver Trust charity.

"There are so many benefits that beavers bring. As well as helping to prevent flooding, their dams purify water and they eat invasive plant species like Himalayan balsam."

Tilbury said no specific sites had yet been determined for beavers to be re-introduced but he said Watermead Park, near Birstall, was being considered as well as an area of woodland near Quorn.

Tilbury also said the re-introduction of beavers could attract nature enthusiasts to Leicestershire boosting tourism.

John Bloxham, county councillor for Blaby and Glen Parva, has raised the issue of beaver re-introduction at council meetings.

He said he would like to see beavers returned to south Leicestershire where flooding is common.

"We have real flooding issues particularly in areas like Crows Mill [near Blaby] and I think it would be great if beavers were part of the solution to that."

Dr Roisin Campbell-Palmer, the Beaver Trust's head of restoration, said: "Bringing beavers back is quite a complicated process which requires licensing but it is well worth it.

"It is a species we really want to see back.

"They can restore wetlands behind their dams, which leads to there being more fish and amphibians. That can mean more insects and that can increase the number of bats in a habitat.

"The dams slowly release water reducing the risk of flooding but they can also divert water into areas affected by drought.

"The dams literally filter the water that passes through them increasing its purity.

"They are very hardy creatures so they adapt well.

"There are some potential risks because they burrow and can erode fragile river banks but those risks can be managed."

The National Farmer's Union (NFU) has previously expressed concerns about the impact of beavers on farmland.

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