6th December
A good news story from nature
by David
Looking back at the year as it draws to a close, unsurprisingly, the news has been dominated by COVID-19, however there have also been some good news stories…
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In 2020, British beavers have been making the headlines for all the right reasons!
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Not only are they very cute, but they have been reintroduced up and down the country, and a major five year study has shown that they have clear benefits to people and the environment.
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"I think we’ve all been surprised by these amazing animals’ ability to thrive, once again, in our wetland ecosystems. It also shows their unrivalled capacity to breathe new life into our rivers and wetlands, very few of which are in good health. We have seen over these five years how beavers really do have the ability to help to restore the natural processes that all our wetland wildlife depends on."
Mark Elliott, Devon Wildlife Trust, who has led the River Otter Beaver Trial for the past five years
Beavers were hunted to extinction in Britain about 400 years ago, but began to be reintroduced in 2009. They have been shown to have a significant positive impact on wildlife, flooding and water quality. This isn’t just about the reintroduction of a species – it’s about the reintroduction of an entire ecosystem that’s been lost. The Wildlife Trusts have lots more information about the reintroductions and how you can help.
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"Beavers are often referred to as ‘ecosystem engineers’. They make changes to their habitats, such as digging canal systems, damming water courses, and coppicing tree and shrub species, which create diverse wetlands. In turn these wetlands can bring enormous benefits to other species, such as otters, water shrews, water voles, birds, invertebrates (especially dragonflies) and breeding fish."
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The Wildlife Trusts
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Wishing you all the best for 2021.
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David Gelsthorpe
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Title image: A Eurasian Beaver, Manchester Museum collection.