Beavers are an integral part of freshwater wetland ecosystems. The formation of their dams reduces the flow of freshwater streams and floods the surrounding area, turning it into a shallow wetland environment (Beavers, Wetlands, & Wildlife, n.d.). In creating these wetlands, beaver dams recharge groundwater supplies and provide nursery habitats to other aquatic species.
Despite their role as “ecosystem engineers”, beavers have been socially perceived as nuisances as their habitat continues to be fragmented by human development (NRDC, 2017). The USDA conducted a study to determine the response to beaver control, which found that 99% of responses utilized lethal force (NRDC, 2017). With this unique instance of human-wildlife conflict, numerous methods of non-lethal control methods have been introduced to landowners. These methods could include constructed barriers to protect the surrounding area from flooding, devices like Beaver Deceivers which prevent beavers from blocking road culverts, or simple monitoring techniques that observe water levels in beaver ponds (NRDC, 2017).
Drought in the UK
The United Kingdom’s Environment Agency has declared drought status throughout the southwest region of England. The Agency claims the current conditions are the driest the region has experienced in 90 years based on the hydrologic data collected over the last 5 months (Environment Agency, 2022).
Several areas in the southwest are observing the effects of the drought as the dry season continues. The lead of the Environment Agency’s drought team, Chris Paul, stated the “river levels across our Wessex area are exceptionally low – many showing the lowest flows on record. This places incredible strain on local wildlife, and this is why we are moving to drought status” (Environment Agency, 2022). As of August 30, 2022, the Environmental Agency has announced that 11 of their 14 regions in the UK have declared drought status (The Guardian, 2022). Several water companies throughout England have implemented hosepipe bans in an effort to conserve water for the remainder of the summer (The Guardian, 2022).
New Wetland in Devon County
The southwest county of Devon is among the many UK counties experiencing the effects of the drought. However, a system of beaver dams on the Clinton Devon Estate has flooded about 2.5 acres of land to create a freshwater wetland (Watson, 2022). The estate has been historically used as farm and cropland. There is a lot of uncertainty between the Devon farmers of how this wetland will impact their ability to farm (Watson, 2022). This creates an especially complex situation as beavers are soon to be federally protected in the United Kingdom. On October 1, 2022, the Eurasian beaver will be protected from trapping, killing, injuries, or disturbance without a license (Prior, 2022).
In response to this action, the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) announced their concern that beaver dams can have a negative impact on farmland as their habitat promotes upstream flooding (NFU, 2021). It is likely that the farmers and landowners of the Devon Estate will have to work carefully with the NFU and the government to create a comprehensive plan to protect the beavers on their property while maintaining the integrity of their land.
Sources:
Beavers, Wetlands,& Wildlife. (n.d.). Beavers & Wetlands. Beavers, Wetlands, & Wildlife. Retrieved from https://www.beaversww.org/beavers-wetlands/#:~:text=Because%20beavers%20build%20their%20stick,the%20land’s%20most%20beneficial%20ecosystem.
Environment Agency. (2022). All of England’s South West region now in drought. Environment Agency. Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/government/news/all-of-england-s-south-west-region-now-in-drought
NFU. (2021). Beavers and flooding: The impact on British farms. NFU. Retrieved from https://www.nfuonline.com/updates-and-information/beavers-and-flooding-the-impact-on-british-farms/
NRDC. (2017). Beavers: Nature’s Wetland Ecosystem Engineers. NRDC. Retrieved from https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/beavers-wetland-ecosystem-engineers-fs.pdf
Prior, M. (2022). Eurasian beaver to be given legal protection in England. BBC News. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-62213459
The Guardian. (2022). All of south-west of England in drought, says Environment Agency. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/aug/30/drought-all-south-west-england-environment-agency
Watson, E. (2022). Beaver dams in east Devon create area of wetland amid drought. BBC News. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-devon-62662909?xtor=AL-72-%5Bpartner%5D-%5Bbbc.news.twitter%5D-%5Bheadline%5D-%5Bnews%5D-%5Bbizdev%5D-%5Bisapi%5D&at_custom3=%40BBCNews&at_medium=custom7&at_custom4=DAB7EB26-2510-11ED-AA51-55B64744363C&at_campaign=64&at_custom2=twitter&at_custom1=%5Bpost+type%5D