It was the beaver’s luxurious, soft fur that ultimately led to its demise. During the Middle Ages, beavers were highly prized for both their fur and meat, and as a result of overhunting by humans they became extinct in Wales. By the 16th Century, the beaver was extinct across the rest of Britain as well. However, the fate of the beaver is changing, and reintroduction projects have been taking place across Europe since the 1920s, especially in the last 20 years. One of the primary reasons for this is because of the benefits that beavers bring. Often termed "nature's engineers", the dam and pond ecosystems they create benefit a huge range of river and wetland species, providing breeding areas for amphibians, feeding opportunities for birds and habitat for countless invertebrates among many other wildlife benefits. Beaver activity can also slow water flow, improve water quality, store water during droughts and reduce the impact of flooding. As climate change brings more extreme weather the need to re-establish beavers into our landscapes becomes ever more important.
In 2009, the very first beaver reintroduction to Britain took place in Knapdale Forest in Argyll. Since then, further reintroduction projects have been established in England and Scotland, along with a number of enclosed beaver projects in England and Wales. The Welsh Beaver Project, led by North Wales Wildlife Trust on behalf of the five Wildlife Trust in Wales, works to return beavers to Wales.
In 2021, we delivered the release of a small beaver family into an enclosure at Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust’s Cors Dyfi nature reserve, where the beavers are now playing an important role in managing and enhancing the wetland habitat. We are currently working to deliver the first official beaver release to the wild in Wales, through the submission of a licence application to Natural Resources Wales (NRW).
Beavers provide many ecological and environmental benefits, but without management their activities can occasionally cause problems for some human activities so the project is also developing a network of trained beaver volunteers to help manage any beaver-related issues that might arise. Our aim is to ensure that landholders are not significantly affected by beaver activity, so if problems do arise, the beaver team will be on hand to provide advice and support.
Advocating for the return of wild beavers is also a key focus of the project and we were very pleased when in March 2026, the Welsh Government officially recognised the Eurasian beaver as a native species and extended European Protected Species status to beavers in Wales. This was a crucial step in our aim to secure the future of wild beavers in Wales to benefit nature recovery and future generations.
The work of the Welsh Beaver Project relies on external funding. While the project has received support through a range of grants, it also depends on the generosity of private organisations and individuals. This December, the Wildlife Trusts in Wales will launch their Big Give Christmas Appeal to raise funds for the Welsh Beaver Project. The money raised will help the project continue its vital work, from supporting beaver restoration and engagement activities to preparing for the return of wild beavers to Wales. Every donation will help secure a future for beavers and the many environmental benefits they can bring to Welsh rivers and wetlands.