Derbyshire's Wild Beaver Feasibility Assessment Initiative

We would like to see the restoration of beavers in Derbyshire. They are part of Britain’s natural fauna and play an important role which contributes to a biodiverse environment through the wetlands they create which can have many wider positive benefits for society too.

Beavers were hunted to extinction in the 16th century for meat, fur and their scent glands. Beavers are an important species for wetlands habitat creation, without this species in the landscape we have lost the mosaic of ponds and wetlands that are important to many species.

Their return would support the recovery of a wide range of wetland species and offer many positive benefits for both nature and people.  For more information about beavers click below

All About Beavers

Here in Derbyshire, we have brought beavers back to Derbyshire through a release into an enclosure at Willington Wetlands and are now assessing the possibility of restoring beavers into the wild in the future.

To inform this, we are establishing a Derbyshire Beaver Feasibility Assessment Initiative to investigate if the habitat is suitable for wild beavers and the practicalities of wild beavers in the Derbyshire landscape.

A key aim of this project is to ensure that we are listening to local communities to understand the opportunities, concerns and the solutions.

We are in the very early stages. The first step is bringing together agencies, organisations and community representatives from across Derbyshire to advise the Beaver Feasibility Assessment Initiative on the questions we need to answer and how we can ensure that all communities are effectively involved in this process.

If you would like more information, please contact us on beavers@derbyshirewt.co.uk