Restoration of beavers can benefit us all - Lorna Slater

Last week I was delighted to join RSPB Scotland as they relocated a family of seven beavers to their new home at the Loch Lomond National Nature Reserve.
Lorna Slater is the minister for green skills, circular economy and biodiversityLorna Slater is the minister for green skills, circular economy and biodiversity
Lorna Slater is the minister for green skills, circular economy and biodiversity

Centuries ago beavers were driven to extinction as they were hunted for their fur and meat in Scotland, but, thanks to projects like this, they’re on track to become re-established as part of our natural environment.

There were smiles galore as the beavers explored their new surroundings. With a open water, fen and wet woodland, Loch Lomond will be the perfect place for them to build a home.

The beavers are not the only ones who will benefit.

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Their reintroduction will also give an important boost to the local ecosystem and wildlife in Loch Lomond.

Every year teams of volunteers take on the gruelling tasks of digging and clearing out local ponds - these are the kind of tasks that beavers can do

Nicknamed “nature’s engineers”, almost no other animal does as much to alter the habitat around it.

If there is one thing that most people know about beavers it is that they build dams. This is done so that they can create deeper water to give themselves protection from predators.

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However, it also has the positive effect of building wetland habitats that can provide a welcoming home for fish, frogs, dragonflies and insects, allowing them to increase in number.

These dams also hold back water, which can have significant positive benefits for water management, including reducing the local impacts of droughts and mitigating the risk of floods.

If we can ensure a thriving beaver population across our rivers, lochs and parks we will all benefit.

Beavers are just one of the species we have lost. Nature is key to human life, yet here in Scotland, we face a nature emergency. Climate change and Biodiversity loss have put much of our wildlife is at risk.

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That is why this project represents such a positive and fundamental shift in direction. It is an important example of how we are changing our natural story from one of loss, extinction and damage to one of hope, renewal and restoration.

Thanks to these efforts, children growing up in Scotland will now have the chance to not only grow up alongside beavers, but also to witness first-hand all the amazing things that they do for the world around them.

This is just one example of the transformative work being done to restore our iconic wildlife.

Through our groundbreaking £55 million Nature Restoration Fund we are building on this success and supporting restoration initiatives across our country.

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By doing this we are helping to leave a better and greener future for Scotland. Too much of our nature has been lost, and we are determined to bring it back, just as we have with beavers.

By healing our habitats and investing in positive species restoration, we can ensure a nature-positive legacy for future generations.

Lorna Slater is the minister for green skills, circular economy and biodiversity

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