Beavers help Britain prepare for drought and fire
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In southwest England, reintroduced beavers are reshaping landscapes and helping to retain water, creating wetlands in areas experiencing drought.
After being hunted to extinction in Britain during the 16th century, beavers are making a comeback on estates like Holnicote, where they’ve transformed a watercourse into a wet meadow. These animals build dams and dig channels, causing water to back up and soak into the surrounding soil, creating ponds, marshes, and wet woodlands.
Research from Canada and Devon, England, demonstrates the impact of beaver activity on water retention. A Canadian study showed wetlands with beavers held nine times more open water during the driest year examined, while a study in Devon found 13 beaver dams stored around 1 million liters of water. More recent work across four beaver territories in Devon estimated their wetlands held over 24 million liters of water. These wetter landscapes also offer benefits beyond drought resilience.
A study of wildfires in the western US revealed streamside vegetation in beaver-dammed areas experienced one-third the impact of fires compared to areas without beavers. While beavers aren’t a complete solution to drought or wildfires, their wetland creation can act as a protective layer. Authorities in England now require licenses and management plans for beaver releases to address potential impacts on farmland and infrastructure.
