On Monday 28th March 2022, I was lucky enough to become the Living Landscape Support Officer for the Trent Valley, one of the main focuses of my job being at Willington Wetlands. Already, in the last 2 months, I have learnt so much about these beautiful animals.

Due to their extra strong teeth, beavers are excellent at gnawing through wood, making them the perfect herbivore. In October 2021, beavers were re-introduced to Derbyshire, appearing in the wild for the first time in 800 years, and I am fortunate enough to be apart of the project. 2 pairs were released at Willington Wetlands, a beautiful freshwater habitat surrounded by streams, trees and woodland along the Trent Valley, the ideal habitat for Britain’s largest rodent.

Not only are these animals adorable to look at and watch, their day to day lifestyle benefits many other species. By gnawing wood such as willow and digging canal systems, they are making a sustainable ecosystem and in turn increasing biodiversity and creating ideal homes for wildlife such as water voles and otters.

Beavers are the Best Eco-System Warriors!

People often wonder what the actual benefits of beavers are and why we need them back in Derbyshire. It is well-known that beavers create dams but many may not understand the reasons why. Dam building creates new ponds, and they form canals to be able to swim through their territory. As a result, the aquatic invertebrate, amphibian, and bird numbers increase in the newly formed ponds, I even heard a bittern booming! Additionally, beavers are the best managers of habitats. When they feed, they coppice the woodlands, keeping the trees and vegetation healthy and sustainable!

Beavers are Clever Clogs!

Beavers have evolved in the most beautiful way. They have a 2nd toe which is split into two and acts as a comb to get rid of their own dirt or parasites and stops them getting water-logged, this keeps them squeaky clean and healthy. Although beavers have no natural predators in Derbyshire, they are very aware of their surroundings, using all of their senses on their head. An adorable sight to see is when beavers balance on their back legs and tail and nibble bark using their front claws. They do this to reach higher up the bark so they are able to utilise as much of the wood as possible.

Seeing Beaver Signs

By attending guided walks and tours at Willington Wetlands, I got to see beaver paw prints with my own eyes as well as gnawed willow and even beaver poo! Each tour I do I learn more about these incredible animals, and it has been a great chance to hear about wildlife sightings and experiences from members of the public, creating crucial relationships with the local community and opening their eyes to the world of beavers and the positives they will continue to bring to Derbyshire.

Beaver Trap Training

In conjunction with the Beaver Trust, I attended beaver trap training with the Trent Valley Team! We were presented with in-depth facts about beavers as well as a step-by-step tutorial on how to safely trap a beaver when needed. I learnt when it is considered essential to trap a beaver for their own wellbeing. This includes watching out on camera traps for any sudden changes, identifying if there are any noticeable changes in beaver signs such as their poo or the lack of feeding, a loss of weight is also a vital sign that a beaver needs to be trapped for a health check.

Beaver Engagement

More recently, I have been presented with the opportunity to lead beaver engagement events. Although they have not commenced yet, I am excited and optimistic to lead guided walks, deliver events in the summer holidays to interact with school children and work with clubs such as beavers and brownies. All with the aim of connecting people with nature!