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Enclosed Beaver Trial at Green Gates Nature Reserve Gains Public Consultation

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A four-week community consultation is underway for an enclosed beaver trial at the Green Gates Nature Reserve in St Asaph, as part of a proposed 5-year trial. The trial aims to reintroduce a family group of Eurasian beavers within a secure 24-acre enclosure. The consultation, which is open to the public, seeks to identify potential impacts of the proposed trial and will involve contacting local communities, as well as neighbouring landowners, before submitting an application for a licence from Natural Resources Wales.

Key Takeaways:

  • The trial is subject to a licence from Natural Resources Wales and aims to reintroduce a family group of Eurasian beavers within a secure 24-acre enclosure at the Green Gates Nature Reserve in St Asaph.
  • The beavers were once a widespread native species in Wales, hunted to extinction in Britain and much of Europe for their fur, meat, and castoreum.
  • There are currently over 1500 beavers living in Britain, mostly in Scotland and England, where the Eurasian Beaver is a European protected species under Schedule 2 of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2019.
  • The Council has a biodiversity duty to maintain and enhance biodiversity under the Environment (Wales) Act, 2016, and aims to create a 'Greener Denbighshire' through enhancing, preserving, and improving natural assets.
  • The addition of beavers is expected to increase biodiversity within the environment through their dam building and foraging behaviours.
  • The consultation will involve contacting local communities, as well as neighbouring landowners, before submitting an application for a licence from Natural Resources Wales.

Statistics:

  • Over 1500 beavers are currently living in Britain, mostly in Scotland and England.
  • The Eurasian Beaver is a European protected species under Schedule 2 of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2019.
  • The Environment (Wales) Act, 2016, sets out the biodiversity duty for the Council to maintain and enhance biodiversity.
  • The consultation will run for four weeks and is open to the public.

Sources:

  • Denbighshire County Council, UK Government news release
  • Natural Resources Wales (NRW)
  • Environment (Wales) Act, 2016
  • Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2019
  • Denbighshire Beaver Project, St Asaph | Cadnant Planning

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