Wildlife Trust defend project to reintroduce beavers after criticism from South Dorset's MP
Richard Drax says he sees no sense in reintroducing beavers and fears they could break out of their enclosures
A project to reintroduce beavers to Dorset's waterways is proving successful, despite claims from a local MP that it 'makes no sense'.
Dorset Wildlife Trust is working to bring the species back to enclosed water ways in the county, after 400 years of extinction.
This landmark project is being supported by the University of Exeter and Wessex Water.
A scientific study is being carried out to assess all the impacts that beavers make on the natural environment including river flow, water quality and biodiversity.
Since the beavers were introduced to site, they have built dams, creating a wetland to suit their needs but which also provides habitat for many other species, such as frogs and newts which depend on water.
Conservation officer, Colleen Smith-Moore told us:
“It's great to learn about the creatures and see what they do to the habitat and what influence they have on nature.
“They're great at holding back water during floods and slowly releasing it but they're also great at holding water during drought seasons so it’s quite unusual that they can help in drought and flood seasons.
“Beavers are one of our nature-based solutions to cleaning up watercourses, restoring wetlands and creating more diversity of habitat.”
But South Dorset MP Richard Drax has criticised the project to bring beavers back to local habitats, saying “there is no sense in reintroducing beavers in Dorset”.
He told the House of Commons: “Beavers dam rivers, they would then be protected no doubt by every organisation that would want it protected, farmland then floods.
“Beavers don’t hang around and say ‘this is my home’, as has been proved in Scotland – they breed and move elsewhere and do the same in other rivers.”
The South Dorset MP claims beavers have been "released illegally" in the county and is now calling for wild animals, such as beavers and badgers, to be culled.
Ms Smith-Moore replied: “The UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world and this includes many animals in Dorset.
“What we really need to do is make more space in our landscapes for wildlife to flourish. Dorset Wildlife Trust is striving to facilitate nature recovery of wild animals.”