THREAD
Yesterday we launched our latest #Rewilding Story, Making Beavers Mainstream: scotlandbigpicture.com/rewilding-stor…

Today, we're looking at the benefits of beavers and why it's vital we look at translocation, rather than culling, to reap the rewards of this keystone species.
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1) Beavers are ecosystem engineers. They build dams and raise the water level to move around safely whilst foraging. These newly formed wetlands create the perfect habitat for a diverse array of species. From wildfowl to woodpeckers & dragonflies to diving beetles.
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2) Beaver activity reduces the risk of downstream flooding by slowing the flow during storm events and by storing vast quantities of water in a series of pools. Man-made flood defences cost millions of pounds of public money. Here's a natural solution that works for free!
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3) Beavers create canals to travel between foraging sites safely. These corridors of wetland habitat provide the perfect landscape for water voles to thrive in, a species which has the unenviable title of the UK's fastest declining mammal.
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4) Beaver dams may look messy, but they're highly effective. Not only do they hold back water, but they trap suspended sediments and filter out nitrogen and phosphorus. These pollutants can cause issues with algae growth and oxygen depletion downstream.
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5) Beavers & migratory fish have evolved side-by-side for millennia. Salmonids leap these structures during peak flow events, just as they navigate beyond waterfalls. Felled trees & woody debris in the watercourse provides the perfect cover for young fish to avoid predation.
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6) Many of Scotland's landscapes have been historically drained, and coupled with a changing climate, wildfires are becoming an increasingly serious risk. Beavers help to rewet the land beyond the watercourse and act as natural fire breaks.
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