Story
Beavers are native to Wales, but they became extinct in the Middle Ages due to unsustainable hunting by humans - a story that has been echoed across Europe! Beavers are referred to as a ‘keystone species’ because their activity restores wetlands and river-edge woodlands to the benefit of other wildlife, providing habitats for fungi, plants, invertebrates, fish, birds and mammals. They can also benefit humans by reducing flooding, preventing soil erosion and cleaning the river water. Lots of work has been done by the Welsh Beaver Project, but we now need a final push to get our beavers back. We aim to carry out a reintroduction within the next 2 years so there is more work to do, including selecting/preparing sites, licence application, monitoring, training volunteers, developing opportunities for education and recreation, as well as sourcing, checking and releasing beavers. Your donations will help ensure we achieve this truly historic step forward for wildlife conservation in Wales.