Meeting Cornwall’s Beavers

Truro, 2 October 2019

Jenny Stuart, South West England Section Committee

During a week of stormy weather, a group of CIEEM members from the south west of England were lucky to have a calm and dry day to visit the Cornwall Beaver Project. The project was set up by Chris Jones of Woodland Valley Farm, in collaboration with Cornwall Wildlife Trust and Exeter University, to introduce beavers to an enclosure and monitor the impact that they would have on biodiversity and water management.

Following a brief indoor session watching some videos about the project, and having an introduction to the project from Tom Shelley, Cornwall Wildlife Trust Conservation Manager, we then walked down to the beaver enclosure, to see what impact they are having on the habitats. We chose our vantage points, and waited for dusk to fall, with a hope of seeing a beaver or two.

Towards the end of the session, when I think many of us had almost given up hope of seeing them, we were treated to some views of the beavers carrying a felled branch across the pond, and then sitting on the far bank foraging. What a brilliant end to the day!

Click here to find out more about the Cornwall Beaver Project.