our community of snow athletes are united in the fight to protect our winters and the wildlife and cultures which depend on them.
Beavers
At the end of the 16th century, after decades of habitat destruction and an unrelenting fur industry, the last British beaver was trapped and killed.
In the decades that followed, aggressive agriculture and expanding industry swept the land - shrinking Britain’s forests to just a fraction of their size.
400 years later however, the successful return of British beavers is triggering a new revolution.
From wildflowers to water voles, dragonflies to river otters, the reintroduction of British beavers is causing a chain reaction of ecosystem restoration.
In the summer of 2020, thanks to the incredible efforts of the Devon Wildlife Trust, the UK Government announced that wild beavers would be allowed to roam freely in South-West England.
The decision marked the first time an extinct mammal had been officially reintroduced in England, and was the first step in a long road to restoring the forests of Britain.
Today the future of British beavers is bright.
Natural wetlands are being restored and where beavers have been allowed to return, fish and wildlife are thriving.
The story of British beavers demonstrates the power of native species to save struggling ecosystems.
And, just as important, the success has built momentum for the re-wilding of more British species, especially predators.
Today the focus of beaver reintroduction is to secure the species’ future in the wild, working with scientists, land-owners and government to reintroduce beavers across the country.
To support the future of British beavers, visit https://beavertrust.org/
What are we doing to help?
In 2020, we completed a fundraiser to buy a ‘beaver deceiver’, a critical piece of equipment that helps beavers and farmers coexists without conflict.
Our project saw local fell-runner Matt Knowles run 50 miles over the 4 tallest mountains in England, swimming in 3 of the highest-elevation lakes on his way.
The project raised over £1200 for the Devon Wildlife Trust, enabling the charity to purchase two ‘beaver deceivers’ and secure the future of two new beaver colonies.
The deceiver works by regulating the water level of beaver dams to reduce unwanted flooding, whilst slowly returning the water back upstream.
In areas where tensions between land-owners and beavers are high, technology such as this enables for peaceful co-existence between all parties.
Watch to see Matt’s incredible journey documented from start to finish.