Beauty spot flourishing as beaver additions boost site's ecosystem

FOUR YEARS ON, SPECIES’ RETURN BRINGS HEALTHY BENEFITS FOR LAND AND ITS WILDLIFE

- By TELEGRAPH REPORTER

Beavers are increasing their presence at Willington Wetlands Nature Reserve after being reintroduced four years ago

THIS week marks four years since beavers were reintroduced at Derbyshire Wildlife Trust's Willington Wetlands Nature Reserve, 800 years after they last inhabited the county.

Following the licensed release of two pairs of beavers at Willington in 2021, true to form, the beavers have been busy ever since, with two more kits - beaver babies - sighted this month.

Within ten months of release, one of the original pairs bred, and the first beaver kits were born in 2022.

Since then, the family of beavers has welcomed six more kits and continue to restore this wetland habitat, reshaping the landscape around them.

Living up to their reputation as nature's ‘ecosystem engineers; the beavers have coppiced trees and shrubs, dammed smaller watercourses, and dug extensive ‘beaver canal’ systems.

In doing so, they have created a more diverse and dynamic environment for themselves with enormous benefits to other wildlife as well.