Ecosystem Engineers
Could Beavers build havens for wildlife here in Surrey?
Surrey Wildlife Trust is on a mission to restore Surrey’s natural world - and we think that one of nature’s greatest engineers: the Eurasian Beaver - can help us do this. These incredible, once-native animals were hunted to extinction in the 16th Century – but their return could help to transform our landscapes, creating thriving wetlands that benefit both wildlife and people.
Your support could be the key to reintroducing Beavers to Surrey, creating natural wetland ecosystems that reduce flooding, store carbon, and boost biodiversity.
Double donations!
To kickstart this campaign, we're taking part in the Big Give’s Green Match Fund. Thanks to match funding from generous donors, every donation we receive towards our Ecosystem Engineers appeal from 22nd - 29th April will be DOUBLED, and we’re aiming to reach £50,000 of our £100,000 target in the first week.
With your help:
£10 becomes £20
£50 becomes £100
£500 becomes £1,000
Please donate to help us unlock the full match funding amount and make the most of this fleeting, but vital opportunity.
Watch the below video to hear our Conservation Manager Adam Bolton talk all things Beavers!
Why reintroduce Beavers?
Beavers are known as ‘ecosystem engineers’ because they reshape landscapes by building dams, thus creating ponds and rewetting habitats. Their presence leads to:
Carbon Storage – Wetlands trap carbon, helping to combat climate change
Flood Prevention – Natural water management reduces flood risks
Wildfire Control – Water-rich areas limit the spread of wildfires
Thriving Biodiversity – Wetlands support countless species, from birds and amphibians to rare plants
Across the UK and Europe, Beavers have already proven their ability to restore ecosystems. Now, we have the chance to bring them back to Surrey.
What your donation could do
Before we can release Beavers on Surrey’s landscapes, we must carry out feasibility studies to assess their impact and identify the best locations for their potential reintroduction. Your donations could help us:
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Fund expert studies to determine where Beavers can thrive in Surrey
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Explore other ways to rewet habitats, such as creating ponds and marshes
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Investigate the reintroduction of other lost species, like Black Grouse and Large Marsh Grasshopper
Conservation Manager Adam Bolton says:
“We’re asking people to help us put nature’s top engineers back at the heart of our landscapes, to help shape them for the better. Given the essential services that nature provides, from flood prevention to carbon sequestration to better health and wellbeing, that would be something for everyone to celebrate.”
How can I donate to the appeal?
Thank you for your support! You can donate in the following ways:
Online | Click the button at the top of the page to make a donation by Debit/Credit card, Google or Apple Pay. |
By post | Send your donation to: Save Surrey's Nature Appeal, Surrey Wildlife Trust, School Lane, Pirbright, Woking, Surrey, GU24 0JN. |
By phone | Donations can be made to the appeal over the phone by calling 01483 795445 between 9am and 5pm, Monday - Friday. |
How much do we need to raise?
Through our Ecosystem Engineers appeal we’re aiming to raise £100,000 towards the potential reintroduction of the Eurasian Beaver in Surrey. This is part of our £1 million Save Surrey’s Nature campaign. It’s an ambitious target (we are asking businesses to support the appeal too) but this vital income boost is needed to achieve more for nature more quickly.
We need to be bigger, bolder and wilder to restore nature at scale across Surrey.
Questions & answers
Why is this a priority?
We believe that given the severity of the climate and nature crisis, the natural world needs all the help it can get to bounce back. Eurasian Beavers, which were hunted to extinction here in England in the early 1600s for their fur and scent glands, are perhaps the most exciting, cost effective and natural solution to many of the problems we face – from the loss of wetlands, the decline of hundreds of species, to wildfires and flooding. Beavers are officially recognised as a native species that is protected by law, and that can be legally introduced into the wild under license – this is because the evidence overwhelmingly suggests that their return will be good news for people and nature in the UK.
By creating natural dams which hold back water and by coppicing bankside trees, Beavers could over time restore many of our lost wetland habitats at low cost and without excessive human intervention. This is all in line with our wider objectives of increasing the biodiversity of existing habitats and restoring 30 per cent of the UK for nature by 2030 – a vital goal for wildlife and for our own future as a species.
Is Beaver reintroduction a cost-effective action?
We strongly believe that releasing Beavers would save costs, both for Surrey Wildlife Trust and wider society. As with Nofence conservation grazing, employing animals to maintain landscapes and habitats is far more cost-effective than doing this work mechanically or by hand. The actions of these animals in creating wetlands, boosting carbon sequestration, holding back water which could otherwise contribute to flooding, and helping offset the risk of major wildfires would also be priceless in terms of the range of species that would benefit, and the long-term resilience and biodiversity of our county.
Evidence backs this up. A family of eight Beavers is reported to have saved Czech taxpayers at least £1m by flooding a protected former army training site where a long-delayed dam was planned. And new research from The Wildlife Trusts recently revealed that natural flood management schemes, such as those engineered by Beavers, deliver £10 of benefits for every £1 invested.
Multiple trials, including the Scottish Beaver Trial and the River Otter Beaver Trial have demonstrated the huge improvements to wildlife, water quality, flood reduction, sediment reduction and more brought about by Beaver activity.
How long could the reintroduction take?
We are currently carrying out assessments of suitable sites and will provide an update when this process concludes. We’d hope to carry out an initial release in 2026, if all suitable conditions are met.
Where are you likely to introduce them?
Some of our larger reserves, where a release can be appropriately monitored and the animals will be able to settle in without undue disturbance, are being considered – including some heathland sites which would benefit from Beaver-led wetland creation.
Am I likely to see a Beaver once they have been introduced?
We have not yet confirmed a specific release site. Initial releases would take place on SWT reserves, not all of which have public access. If possible, we will enable the public to visit release sites that have public access in due course. If and when the species establishes itself in the county, it’s highly likely that Beavers would spread quite widely through suitable riverside, wetland and potentially heathland habitats, so you might confidently expect to see the animals in the years ahead. However, note that these animals are primarily nocturnal.
What do Beavers eat?
Beavers subsist on aquatic and bankside vegetation. They are no threat to fish stocks or other animals, and evidence shows that fish benefit greatly from the actions of Beavers.
How many Beavers could Surrey sustain?
Each Beaver family of approximately 4-6 animals requires a territory of roughly 3km2, so there is potential for Beavers to be relatively widespread across suitable wetland and river habitats in the county, with the possibility of populations one day reaching into the dozens. However, once territories are established, populations of this species rise very slowly. We’d expect a certain level of natural mortality, including in fights over territory, but we will monitor populations closely and take appropriate action if some animals should need to be removed or relocated.
Which other species might you consider reintroducing?
Other species which are locally extinct, but which were once an integral part of our natural landscapes, could also be a part of an enhanced ecosystem. In addition to European Beavers, we plan to explore the feasibility of other respectfully-managed species reintroductions to enhance the lowland heathland habitat.
Candidates include:
- Black Grouse – a large and spectacular UK Red-listed bird of heathlands and scrub habitats, which last bred in Surrey early in the last century.
- Large Marsh Grasshopper – at up to 36mm, the largest but also the rarest of the UK’s 11 native grasshopper species. Populations of this species have declined severely in the last half-century due to the draining of wet heathland habitats.
- Red Deer – already used with great success by SWT on Pirbright Ranges to control scrub and maintain a healthy balance of native vegetation, this species could potentially do a similar job on other lowland heathland sites.
- Red-backed Shrike – loss of habitat has driven this fascinating and beautiful bird, which keeps a ‘larder’ of insect prey impaled on thorns, to become almost extinct as a UK breeding species. It was once a common visitor to Southern England, and targeted releases could offer a chance of recovery.