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Findhorn charity Trees for Life asks: Should beavers be released into Highland lochs?


By Alistair Whitfield

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Photograph: Ray Scott
Photograph: Ray Scott

A Findhorn-based rewilding charity is looking to find out how the public feels about introducing beavers to two lochs in the Highlands.

Trees for Life has today launched a six-week community consultation which will help decide whether the creatures should be released into Loch Affric and the neighbouring Loch Beinn a' Mheadhoin.

If the proposal is successful, it would be the first official release of beavers to the north-west Highlands since the species was driven to extinction some 400 years ago.

Beavers were reintroduced to Scotland during 2009 in areas around Tayside.

However last year Nature Scot, the Scottish Government’s nature agency, approved the killing of 87 beavers which were deemed to be causing problems for farmers and landowners.

That's one-fifth of the country's total population of 450.

Trees for Life has long campaigned against culling and instead wants to relocate the creatures to more suitable areas.

The Findhorn charity is carrying out the consultation on behalf of four private landowners as well as Forestry and Land Scotland, who all manage habitat capable of supporting a beaver population.

The consultation's results will be submitted to NatureScot in September.

Alan McDonnell from Trees for Life said: "Studies show that beavers can bring extensive environmental and economic benefits.

"At the same time, understanding the views of the local community – from other landowners to angling clubs – is a key step in deciding whether to go ahead with any proposed beaver release.

"Like us, the landowners making this proposal really want to hear what people think."

If NatureScot give its approval, up to three pairs of beavers could be relocated to Glen Affric from lower Tayside before the end of the year.

Joan Cumming, an environment advisor for Forestry and Land Scotland, said: "Proposals such as this can excite a lot of opinion – supportive, opposed, or somewhere in-between.

"So it’s important that as broad a range of stakeholders as possible take part in the conversation and make their views known."

Full details on the Affric beaver release proposal can be found on the Trees for Life website.



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