Beaver Trust joins European network to restore waterways
Beaver Trust has joined a European network to help restore native beavers across Britain and the wider continent.
The Eurasian beaver builds dams and channels that create complex wetlands supporting diverse wildlife and improving water quality significantly. These structures hold water in the landscape while reducing flood peaks and maintaining flows during periods of drought effectively.
New research shows modified wetlands in Switzerland stored carbon at ten times the rate of similar sites lacking beaver activity. Over thirteen years, the site accumulated nearly one thousand two hundred tonnes of carbon highlighting restoration potential.
Beaver Trust was established in 2019 to reintroduce beavers to rivers and wetlands across England Scotland and Wales through various methods. The organization facilitated twenty two beaver releases in 2025 including England's first authorised wild release into new river catchments recently.
Membership creates new opportunities to exchange knowledge and build partnerships while supporting practical restoration of beaver populations across the continent effectively. The charity brings expertise in translocation and population monitoring to help partners develop responsible reintroductions and accelerate species recovery now.
“Beavers are one of the most powerful examples of how bringing back native species can help restore essential natural processes”