no-one in particular
Well-known member
A flurry of emails over the last 4 weeks, sorry there is a lot of it and I am none the wiser but it might interest one or two of you:-.
To:enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk
12 May at 09:56
Can you tell me what happens if beavers move onto farm land where carefully controlled drainage systems are in place if beavers move in, once they start building dams and cutting down trees this will be a serious problem. Will they be allowed to be removed? If a carefully run fishery has beavers move in, they will not want dams and trees being cut down, will they be able to remove them as well? The same for anyone with a carefully landscape large garden with a lake and/or stream. Is there any legislation planned for this? What will they be able to do legally? Generally I am worried about these multiplying in the wild, they are a large destructive creature and they are going to cause a lot of problems for a lot of people, what will they be able to do legally?
Thank You-look forward to your reply.
<melliott@devonwildlifetrust.org>
14 May at 15:08
Hi Mark
Thanks for your message about the beavers, and the ability to manage them in the future.
The decisions about their management will be made by Defra at the end of the Trial, although we’re currently suggesting mechanisms that would allow this to occur. As part of this we’re gathering together the experiences of other countries around the world where beavers and people live alongside each other – there are many techniques that can be employed to manage conflicts where they occur. I’m sure that the interests of landowners and fisheries owners will be considered in detail, but many areas of conflict can be addressed simply through the provision of accurate information. For example a great many people still believe that beavers eat fish, and so simply dispelling myths like these helps to allow people to accept them back into the landscape that we eradicated them from.
As you’re probably aware, beavers are a native part of British ecosystems, and so a great many species are dependent on the habitats that they create. The trees that they feed on such as willow and poplar coppice in response to being cut by the beavers, and so all that happens is the canopy structure changes and may even become more suitable for things like nesting birds, caterpillars etc. The impacts on biodiversity have been shown to be positive in all manner of ways, which is why the Wildlife Trusts are so keen to bring them back.
If you want a bit more information on the work that we’re doing, have a look on our the two beaver project pages on our website
Best wishes
Thank you for your reply, I am still worried by the long term affect though. However you word it you are in fact introducing a new non native species into the country. This will have an affect on all the flora and fauna that has evolved without beavers for 500 years.
I imagine these will be heavily protected and many restrictions will be in place around them. You did not really answer my questions for example will anglers only be able to fish within a limited range of where these beavers set up home or will they be able to remove them. Fishery's and farms and private land owners will not want them, its not everyone's desire to see their trees cut down or their water courses altered and I have read they will fell Oak Trees as well. And if they are allowed to deal with them which is unlikely, at what cost to them and will they be compensated for that?
Your website does not tell us anything about this, just paints the rosy side of the picture and I think many members of the general public need to know the full story before these are released into the wild. Personally I think 10,20 or 30 years down the line they will be a pest once they spread and it looks like to me no one is considering this.
Mark..
On Monday, 14 May 2018, 15:08:15 GMT+1, Mark Elliott <melliott@devonwildlifetrust.org> wrote:
Hi Mark
<enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk>
Hi Mark,
Natural England are the organisation that assess and licence any applications for re-introduction either to an enclosure or for a wild release.
Department for Environment food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) write polices to go along with the licences.
I have passed your enquiry to the Natural England Customer Service desk who will respond to you directly.
Kind Regards
Colleen Buckley
Customer Service Adviser, Email Management Unit, NCCC
Contact Centre Services - Part of Operations, Regulation & Customer
<Michaela.Barwell@naturalengland.org.uk>
Cc:Enquiries (NE)
31 May at 07:07
Dear Mark
Thank you for your enquiry. I am responding in relation to the River Otter Trial which you refer to in the subject of your email as Natural England granted the licence for the trial.
The project is being delivered by the Devon Wildlife Trust and they have a key role to play in being available to discuss any issues or concerns that anyone has as a result of the presence of beavers and any activity damaging or otherwise that they are involved with. Under the terms of our license the Wildlife Trust have a clear commitment to respond to enquiries in relation to the project including working with farmers and land owner to manage unwanted damage to trees and damming, they can be contacted on 01392 279244.
Consideration is currently being given to proposals for future options for the beavers once the trial is concluded in 2020, however no decisions have yet been reached.
Kind Regards
Michaela
Michaela Barwell
Operations Manager – Devon
Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Team
Natural England
Sterling House, Dix’s Field
Exeter
EX1 1QA
Thank you for your reply. I understand the present terms of the license issued to the Devon Trust while this trial is taking place however, my concerns are with legislation when these animals are released into the wild as explained in my email. What will landowners, fisheries, private land owners be able to do when these animals are unwanted. Will they be so heavily protected like otters for instance that they will be unable to do anything. Will an angling fishery be banned from fishing within 50/100/200 yards from them for example. Will financial compensation be available for loss of business and trees or re landscaping land.
I am asking because the Devon Trust does not address these issues on their website and the public will need to know before the release of these animals.
My guess is no legislation has been thought of or even considered by the Devon Trust or at Government level, is this case?
Thank You
Mark
To:defra.helpline@defra.gsi.gov.uk,
31 May at 08:38
Dear Sir or Madam,
My question is when beavers are released into the wild, will angling clubs be able to remove them if they set up on their waterways. Or will anglers be banned from fishing within a distance of them and if so what will that distance be? Will compensation be available to them for loss of angling and/or trees when these are felled by beavers on their club waters if it is the case.
Thank You
Mark
And that was it. no reply from DEFRA or further replies anyone else, guess they don't like me much.
To:enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk
12 May at 09:56
Can you tell me what happens if beavers move onto farm land where carefully controlled drainage systems are in place if beavers move in, once they start building dams and cutting down trees this will be a serious problem. Will they be allowed to be removed? If a carefully run fishery has beavers move in, they will not want dams and trees being cut down, will they be able to remove them as well? The same for anyone with a carefully landscape large garden with a lake and/or stream. Is there any legislation planned for this? What will they be able to do legally? Generally I am worried about these multiplying in the wild, they are a large destructive creature and they are going to cause a lot of problems for a lot of people, what will they be able to do legally?
Thank You-look forward to your reply.
<melliott@devonwildlifetrust.org>
14 May at 15:08
Hi Mark
Thanks for your message about the beavers, and the ability to manage them in the future.
The decisions about their management will be made by Defra at the end of the Trial, although we’re currently suggesting mechanisms that would allow this to occur. As part of this we’re gathering together the experiences of other countries around the world where beavers and people live alongside each other – there are many techniques that can be employed to manage conflicts where they occur. I’m sure that the interests of landowners and fisheries owners will be considered in detail, but many areas of conflict can be addressed simply through the provision of accurate information. For example a great many people still believe that beavers eat fish, and so simply dispelling myths like these helps to allow people to accept them back into the landscape that we eradicated them from.
As you’re probably aware, beavers are a native part of British ecosystems, and so a great many species are dependent on the habitats that they create. The trees that they feed on such as willow and poplar coppice in response to being cut by the beavers, and so all that happens is the canopy structure changes and may even become more suitable for things like nesting birds, caterpillars etc. The impacts on biodiversity have been shown to be positive in all manner of ways, which is why the Wildlife Trusts are so keen to bring them back.
If you want a bit more information on the work that we’re doing, have a look on our the two beaver project pages on our website
Best wishes
Thank you for your reply, I am still worried by the long term affect though. However you word it you are in fact introducing a new non native species into the country. This will have an affect on all the flora and fauna that has evolved without beavers for 500 years.
I imagine these will be heavily protected and many restrictions will be in place around them. You did not really answer my questions for example will anglers only be able to fish within a limited range of where these beavers set up home or will they be able to remove them. Fishery's and farms and private land owners will not want them, its not everyone's desire to see their trees cut down or their water courses altered and I have read they will fell Oak Trees as well. And if they are allowed to deal with them which is unlikely, at what cost to them and will they be compensated for that?
Your website does not tell us anything about this, just paints the rosy side of the picture and I think many members of the general public need to know the full story before these are released into the wild. Personally I think 10,20 or 30 years down the line they will be a pest once they spread and it looks like to me no one is considering this.
Mark..
On Monday, 14 May 2018, 15:08:15 GMT+1, Mark Elliott <melliott@devonwildlifetrust.org> wrote:
Hi Mark
<enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk>
Hi Mark,
Natural England are the organisation that assess and licence any applications for re-introduction either to an enclosure or for a wild release.
Department for Environment food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) write polices to go along with the licences.
I have passed your enquiry to the Natural England Customer Service desk who will respond to you directly.
Kind Regards
Colleen Buckley
Customer Service Adviser, Email Management Unit, NCCC
Contact Centre Services - Part of Operations, Regulation & Customer
<Michaela.Barwell@naturalengland.org.uk>
Cc:Enquiries (NE)
31 May at 07:07
Dear Mark
Thank you for your enquiry. I am responding in relation to the River Otter Trial which you refer to in the subject of your email as Natural England granted the licence for the trial.
The project is being delivered by the Devon Wildlife Trust and they have a key role to play in being available to discuss any issues or concerns that anyone has as a result of the presence of beavers and any activity damaging or otherwise that they are involved with. Under the terms of our license the Wildlife Trust have a clear commitment to respond to enquiries in relation to the project including working with farmers and land owner to manage unwanted damage to trees and damming, they can be contacted on 01392 279244.
Consideration is currently being given to proposals for future options for the beavers once the trial is concluded in 2020, however no decisions have yet been reached.
Kind Regards
Michaela
Michaela Barwell
Operations Manager – Devon
Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Team
Natural England
Sterling House, Dix’s Field
Exeter
EX1 1QA
Thank you for your reply. I understand the present terms of the license issued to the Devon Trust while this trial is taking place however, my concerns are with legislation when these animals are released into the wild as explained in my email. What will landowners, fisheries, private land owners be able to do when these animals are unwanted. Will they be so heavily protected like otters for instance that they will be unable to do anything. Will an angling fishery be banned from fishing within 50/100/200 yards from them for example. Will financial compensation be available for loss of business and trees or re landscaping land.
I am asking because the Devon Trust does not address these issues on their website and the public will need to know before the release of these animals.
My guess is no legislation has been thought of or even considered by the Devon Trust or at Government level, is this case?
Thank You
Mark
To:defra.helpline@defra.gsi.gov.uk,
31 May at 08:38
Dear Sir or Madam,
My question is when beavers are released into the wild, will angling clubs be able to remove them if they set up on their waterways. Or will anglers be banned from fishing within a distance of them and if so what will that distance be? Will compensation be available to them for loss of angling and/or trees when these are felled by beavers on their club waters if it is the case.
Thank You
Mark
And that was it. no reply from DEFRA or further replies anyone else, guess they don't like me much.
Last edited: