We lost beavers from our rivers over 400 years ago. Now these enigmatic creatures are back in Avon and need your help to build a wildlife-rich future along our waterways.

We must act now to fight back against the twin climate and ecological emergencies, but did you know that beavers could be part of the solution? Beavers use their skills to shape their waterside environments – this creates habitats for a kaleidoscope of other creatures, reduces flooding and prevents drought, and even absorbs carbon. But these natural engineers need your help to re-establish their waterway homes.

Avon’s budding beaver population is still in the early days of territory expansion. With the right support, numbers could grow by 30% each year, making it more likely to catch a glimpse of these elusive creatures along riverbanks and streams across our region.

Since the unexpected discovery of Avon’s wild beaver population in 2020, Avon Wildlife Trust has been working as part of the Beaver Management Group – a group of professional beaver supporters from organisations across our region – to support and keep track of our new neighbours as they re-establish themselves locally. Three years on, beavers are starting to spread across the Avon area as they look for new homes along our riverbanks. By working to understand our local waterway habitats and making our sites as beaver-friendly as possible, these elusive creatures are now setting up home on our reserves!