Nature agency accused of ‘cowardly stalling’ on beaver release plan

Conservationists have criticised Scotland’s nature agency for delaying a decision on plans to release beavers in a Highland glen.

The Scottish Wildlife Trust called into question the “transparency and consistency” of NatureScot’s process for beaver translocation while the owner of the only private site to have reintroduced the animals in Scotland accused the agency of “cowardly stalling”.

NatureScot announced a delay to a decision on an application by Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) and Trees for Life to release beavers in Glen Affric citing considerable concern about the proposal among the local community and its representatives.

The agency said the move is in line with the Scottish Code for Conservation Translocations.

If approved, the proposal would see the first official release of beavers in the north-west Highlands 400 years after the native species was driven to extinction.

The Scottish Wildlife Trust said in a statement: “The Scottish Wildlife Trust is surprised and concerned by NatureScot’s decision to delay the recent application by Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) and Trees for Life to release beavers in Glen Affric.

“Beavers were officially accepted back into the Scottish landscape in 2016 following the successful Scottish Beaver Trial.

“This decision recognised the vital role beavers play in shaping ecosystems and creating habitat for many other species, as well as the socio-economic benefits they can bring in the form of ecotourism opportunities.”

The trust said the community consultation resulted in a two to one majority in favour of releasing the beavers and the proposed release site has been identified as one of the 10 most suitable catchments in Scotland for reintroducing the animals.

The trust said: “Taking all these factors into consideration within the context of Scotland’s Beaver Strategy, it is difficult to see what is causing the delay in NatureScot’s decision.

“This is not the first time that the transparency and consistency of NatureScot’s process for assessing beaver translocation applications has come into question; Scottish Environment LINK has sought clarity from NatureScot on this issue several times in the past two years.”

The trust called on NatureScot to “prioritise the development of a standardised, transparent approach to beaver translocation application”.

Tom Bowser, owner of Argaty farm near Doune, Stirling, oversaw Scotland’s first legal private reintroduction of beavers on his land.

He said: “Something is very wrong at the heart of NatureScot. What more can there possibly be to consult on?

“This cowardly stalling is the latest in a string of examples where the agency has acted against the interests of wildlife and communities.

“Our family farm has seen first-hand just how beneficial beavers are for boosting biodiversity and reducing flooding.

“It’s incredibly sad that the people of Glen Affric are being denied the joy that beavers bring.”

A NatureScot spokesperson said: “NatureScot is absolutely committed to expanding the beaver population across Scotland for the benefit of biodiversity, in line with Scotland’s Beaver Strategy.

“A huge amount of work has been taking place to ensure this, and a lot of progress has been made, with the population of beavers in Scotland expanding and their range increasing.

“We understand that there may be frustration around the timeframe for this licensing decision, but with proposals such as this we have to ensure the best chance of success for wildlife living alongside the people and communities most affected.

“This short and focused engagement will be on the specific impacts on land and fisheries managers and the mitigation and management available to them.

“This process is in line with the Scottish Code for Conservation Translocations in seeking to ensure there are acceptable mitigations in place.”