In 2022, the UK Government granted Eurasian Beavers Native Species Status, and further updated the legislation in 2025 to permit wild releases of beavers. This supports the existence and continued natural expansion of free-living beaver populations in England.
Beavers are present in multiple catchments in the South West, and FWAG SW are committed to supporting land managers who may be affected by their presence and those who are interested in making space for beavers. FWAG SW continues to proactively invest in training for our advisers, a number of whom hold beaver class licences and can provide practical, informed advice for land managers including accessing funding.
FWAG SW also recognises beavers are ecosystem engineers which can restore riparian corridors with many proven positive biodiversity and water management benefits, reducing flooding and erosion, while providing resilience in the farmed landscape during drought conditions. We acknowledge that these impacts can create challenges for land managers. Our aim is to ease potential tensions, promote the benefits and support land managers around the presence of beavers.
We will always aim to balance environmental benefits with the realities of land management and farm viability. Our approach is aligned with Natural England Statutory Guidance in the approach to Beaver management, which can be found here:
Our advisers will work with the farming/landowner community following the statutory 5-step approach to beaver management to ease potential tensions, promote the benefits, and support land managers around the presence of beavers.
- Facilitate contact with local beaver management groups and provide expert advice.
- Support and provide advice on making space for beavers.
- Provide advice on beaver management actions that do not require a licence.
- Provide advice on beaver management, ‘lower impact’ actions that require a licence.
- Facilitate guidance in ‘higher impact’ actions that require a licence.