Back from Extinction - This Animal is Saving UK Rivers

UK rivers have never been in a worse condition. Polluted by raw sewage, leached with toxic agricultural chemicals and industrial waste, even cocaine seeping into them. And if that's not bad enough, they've been imprisoned in concrete, straightened and stripped of their surrounding wetlands and habitats. Waterways should be teeming with life, not quiet desolate scars through the And the decline of Britain's rivers has coincided with the extinction of one of our greatest animals. An animal so innately industrious that it instinctively reshapes entire ecosystems within just a few years. And in doing so, it holds many of the answers to the problems facing UK rivers. It is, of course, the beaver and with the recent approval of wild releases, it's only a But it's not going to be entirely straightforward because the beaver's return doesn't just challenge how we manage our rivers, it challenges how we think about them too. I think we might have found some beaver tracks here. I've come to a beautiful section of the River Otter here where beavers first came back to. It is just buzzing with life here. You know, what I want to get at is, you know, what's going to happen next? Is Britain ready for the return of this ambitious engineer? The Eurasian beaver was once a common sight across Britain's wetlands and waterways, but by the 16th century, they were completely wiped out, hunted for their fur, meat and castoreum. Like most of the creatures which went extinct in Britain, their extinction wasn't just symbolic, it also had consequences. Beavers, they aren't passive residents of rivers, they actively shape their environments and their absence meant that there was a loss of an entire process, the dynamic creation of wetlands. Most of Britain's rivers and wetlands were reshaped between the 1600s and the late 20th century. It began with the draining of the fens in the 1600s led by Dutch engineers like Cornelius Bermudan. The agricultural revolution accelerated the enclosure and draining of floodplains. By the Victorian era, rivers were being straightened, embanked and canalized through growing cities. But the most damaging phase came after World War II when government-backed schemes ramped up river engineering to boost food production, using heavy machinery to drain wetlands and force rivers into fast, rigid channels. By the 1980s, many rivers had lost their natural shape and function. And since then, the pressures really haven't let up. Pollution from sewage, farming and industry still chokes waterways. Urbanisation has increased dirty runoff and flood risk, while livestock continues to damage fragile riverbanks. Now, climate change is adding more extreme floods and droughts to the mix. But in 2008, something really quite remarkable happened. I can't imagine what was running through the mind of this walker who saw a beaver for the first time on the River Otter in Devon. Nobody really knows for sure how beavers got here. It could have been escapees because there are, or there were, there still are lots of beavers in enclosures, but it also could have been illegal releases of beavers. Whatever the reason, beavers were back. And instead of removing them, the Devon Wildlife Trust proposed a bold plan, a scientific trial to study their effects on the landscape. And in 2015, Natural England approved the River Otter Beaver Trial, the first licensed reintroduction of wild beavers in England. And this five-year project monitored everything from hydrology to biodiversity, agricultural impacts, fish movements and public opinions. And the results, they were really quite extraordinary. By the end of the trial, there were around 15 different families of beavers living up and down the Otter, and they had just transformed waterways. And then in 2020, following this successful trial, the government said that the beavers could stay on the River Otter, the first time beavers were back. So it wasn't a So how exactly are beavers going to save UK rivers? Well, it's all down to their dams. Beavers, they are herbivores, they don't eat fish, that's quite a common misconception. They go for trees, they eat the leaves, they eat the twigs, they actually go for the soft tissue, which is just underneath the bark. Then what they do with all of this woody material is they build their but they also build their dams. Although semi-aquatic, beavers are at their most agile in the water, and they know this too. So in building dams, they increase the area where they feel safest. They do this to safely access tasty vegetation and to create deeper water to dive beneath into the safety of their lodges. When beavers enter degraded landscapes, they reignite lost natural processes. All around the world, where there's beavers, there's life. One study found that bats absolutely thrive in beaver wetlands, with barbastool activity at 393% higher in beaver ponds when compared to other wetland sites. And when comparing beaver ponds to other wetland sites, another study found 33% more plant species and 26% more beetle species. For birds, beaver ponds have been found to create more nesting and feeding opportunities for waterfowl but also songbirds. Later in the video, you'll see that I was lucky enough to spot a pair of woodpeckers. And perhaps surprisingly, studies have also found that beavers help hazel dormice populations. The creation of dense vegetation and structural diversity provides shelter and foraging opportunities for these small mammals. And perhaps less surprisingly, beavers also help create the right condition for water voles, creating numerous ponds and channels for them to feed and burrow. Beavers also help fish. A common misconception is that beavers actually eat fish or even that their dams limit their movements. The opposite is true. Studies have found that the deeper, cooler waters created by beaver dams provide refuge for fish species, especially during drought conditions. And amphibians like frogs and newts unsurprisingly boom in beaver wetlands. And for trees and vegetation, well, while beavers will certainly cut down or even kill a few trees, it's important to understand that this is a good thing for the ecosystem. In most cases, trees are worth more to nature dead than they are alive. Many trees have adaptations and growth habits to burst back into life after eating or felling. And because the water table rises, all of the plants are able to flourish. You know, this is just absolutely buzzing, it's dynamic, just amazing. I love spending time in habitats like this and I love even more to share them with you. And that really wouldn't be possible without MPB. So just like beavers give life to old rivers, MPB gives life to old cameras. They are the UK's top camera reseller. And for years now, MPB have been the only way that I acquire new kit because not only is it a little bit cheaper, but it's also a more sustainable way to get your hands on new equipment. Everything that I use to make these videos, whether it's drones, the cameras, the SD cards, MPB have a huge array of equipment, but that's because they not only sell, but they also buy all kinds of kit too. It could not be easier, safer, or quicker to turn your old camera gear into cash. Look, try it right now, go grab the old lens or camera or whatever it is that you have and head to MPB. I've left a link to this in the comments and in the description and get yourself an instant free quote. They'll give you a competitive price, which is honestly going to be better than other marketplaces online. And if you're happy with this, you can then ship it safely and securely from the comfort of your own home with their free pickup service. MPB then check over your kit and send you the cash straight away into your account within days. So I encourage you to go and check out MPB, open it up right now, use the link in the comments or the description and see what you can sell to them. Or if you're a camera nerd like me, see what you can buy. So in October of 2022, the beaver became a legally protected species in England. It was an offence to deliberately capture, injure or kill them or to destroy their dams and their dens. This was a huge moment for the beaver in Britain. But protection is one thing, reintroduction is another. And up until recently, beavers were only allowed to be released into enclosures. And this was despite the fact that we had all of this evidence, all of this science, all of this understanding that beavers can live in our landscapes. But back in February of this year, the government approved the wild release of beavers. It was a huge moment. This is where we need to discuss the benefits beavers can bring to people. For farmers, while they seek to gain the most from beavers, they can also lose the most. One of the core positives for farmers is more water retained in the landscape. This can be vital for surviving the increasingly drier spring and summers which we're experiencing. But beaver ponds can also prevent flooding of farmland further downstream too. Another core benefit for farmers and indeed the wider ecosystem is the trapping of sediment and chemical runoff. The dams act as filters, allowing cleaner water to pass through. I think what's really important to remember with beavers returning to Britain, you know, they are going to become widespread over the next few decades, is that it's not going to be an easy ride. While we have this support for them, there are still, there's still going to be a lot of uncertainty, whether if that's just through lack of education or just people not liking them. I mean, not everyone enjoys, enjoys beavers as much as we do here. Oh my god, there's a pair of woodpeckers there on that steady dead stem. The reason why that tree's dead is because beavers have killed it with the water. This is, this is why beavers are so valuable. You can hear, you can hear the baby woodpeckers in there. This, this is why we need beavers back in our landscapes, because they just provide us with a much richer experience, an experience which we're largely deprived of here in Britain. I think that's kind of at the root cause of all of this. If we're able to spend time in real natural environments, then it's only going to be better for us as individuals. And you know what, it might mean that, you know, the old river becomes a bit slower, a bit wilder. It might mean that the footpath gets a bit flooded and trees fall down. But the benefits of having beavers back, you know, cleaner water, wilder rivers, more, more resilient landscapes to climate change, you know, these benefits far outweigh the negatives. And for landowners as well, for farmers, I think we need to educate. I think we need to reframe the whole discussion and show farmers that beavers are assets. You know, especially for small farmers, you know, there's a real incentive now, whether if it's through ecotourism, or if it's through biodiversity net gains or carbon markets. We just need to make sure that we're supporting farmers and landowners on what to do and how to do it. But what about when beavers flood an area that they shouldn't or start to damage trees, which we want to keep? Or how do we help curious farmers who wouldn't mind having beavers on the land, but don't know how? Well, I think the answer lies in local community groups made up of landowners, farmers, and one or two beaver management experts. Last year, I got to meet a local wildlife ranger to Devon, Ed Langdon, who spends much of his time rummaging around beaver wetlands, ensuring that they're able to fit within the landscape. Every part of the UK where beavers are returning to, they need their very own Ed to keep the peace, which I actually think would be a great job for many people. I mean, now would be a great time to get qualified and start a beaver focused ecological consultancy. Thanks to this awesome creature and all of the brilliant people that have enabled its return, Britain's rivers will never be the same again. If you've enjoyed this video, then please do subscribe to Leave Curious. One of the best ways to support the channel is by becoming a member over on Patreon. Links to all of this is in the description, and don't forget to go and check out MPB if you want to sell some old camera gear to make some cash, or if you want to buy something new. Check out the video that's on the screen now if you want to keep watching the channel, but in the meantime, thanks for watching. Leave Curious.