Beavers to be Reintroduced to Beverley

Despite spending thousands of pounds on flood defences, the local council and residents have been concerned about the amount of standing water which has been left, especially on our common land, after this winter’s particularly wet weather.

Although Storms Desmond and Eva did not cause flooding in Beverley or the surrounding villages this year, the River Hull at Tickton has been very full due to the amount of rain which has fallen on the Yorkshire Wolds, filling the tributaries and becks which feed it.

Beverley Town and East Riding Councils have been examining the way in which work carried out to create a system of dams on the North Yorkshire Moors have protected Pickering from flooding over the winter.

The dams are made of natural materials such as logs and branches, which hold up high flows of water. Similar schemes have been successfully implemented in South Yorkshire, Somerset and Scotland.

The cost of building a similar scheme could be prohibitive so the decision has been made to begin a pilot project, based on the Westwood, using beavers. Beavers were once common sightings in Beverley – in fact the name comes from the words Beaver Leah, which means Beaver Clearing – but were hunted to extinction for their fur in the 16th century.

he reintroduced beavers will, it is hoped, recolonise their old, natural habitat, and, over the years, if the pilot is successful, build a series of dams around the town which will protect it from future inundations.

Beverley’s Mayor, Councillor Peter Astell said “I don’t know why we didn’t think of this before! It seems the obvious solution to our problems, especially as we have Pasture Masters who can look after the beavers alongside the other animals on the common land.”

The beavers are due to be released on March 31st at 23.59.