Species Action Framework
LATEST NEWS
EUROPEAN BEAVER
21 November 2008
Four families of European beavers now been collected in Norway for the 'Scottish Beaver Trial' and placed in quarantine in Devon. It is anticipated the animals will be released at Knapdale in spring 2009, and then monitored for a five year period. Further information on this latest phase is available in the press release produced by the licence holders, SWT and RZSS
May 2008
The Minister for Environment, Mike Russell, has approved a licence to allow a trial reintroduction of European beaver to take place. This will be the first ever licensed/legal reintroduction of beaver into the wild anywhere in Britain. You can see the press release from the Scottish Government at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2008/05/22122917
The licence has been granted to the Scottish Wildlife Trust and the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, who are working on behalf of the 'Scottish Beaver Trial' partnership. The trial site, Knapdale Forest in Argyll, is owned by Forestry Commission Scotland. Up to four families of these animals will be caught in Norway in autumn 2008, quarantined for six months and released in spring 2009 in Knapdale Forest. There will then be a five year trial period.
There are 31 conditions associated with the licence. A key condition is that Scottish Natural Heritage will have the role of coordinating the scientific aspects of the trial (through an independent monitoring group), and reporting to the Scottish Government. SNH will also report to the Scottish Government on whether the conditions of any licence are being fully addressed on the ground.
Further information can be found at www.scottishbeavers.org.uk
8 February 2008
The local consultation run by SWT and RZSS was closed on 30 November
2007. The results of the consultation can be seen in their report,
published at:
http://www.swt.org.uk/Downloads/02_d_SBT2007_ConsultationReport_Dec07.pdf
In December 2007 SWT and RZSS submitted a licence application to
Scottish Government for the release of European beaver at Knapdale
Forest for the purpose of a trial reintroduction. Scottish Government
is currently considering this licence application.
11 October 2007
A partnership of RZSS and SWT are currently preparing a licence application which, it is anticipated, will be submitted to SG by Christmas 2007. The licence application will seek approval for the release of European beavers at Knapdale Forest, mid-Argyll, for the purposes of a trial re-introduction. The trial will last several years and will allow the effect of beavers on the Scottish environment, and on different land uses, to be assessed. SNH will be involved in advising SG on the licence application.
As part of the preparation for the licence application, a local consultation was launched by SWT and RZSS on 1 October and will run until 30th November. Further details, including a downloadable version of the consultation leaflet, can be found at the web sites of the RZSS and the SWT
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