Beaver population to grow at Trossachs site

Loch Ard Forest is set to become home to an additional pair of beavers. 

Working with the Beaver Trust, Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) released the pair into a small lochan with good areas of wet woodland around the edge of the water and where there are currently no beavers present.

The FLS managed site – sitting within Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park – was assessed and surveyed by both the Beaver Trust and FLS and identified as providing ideal habitat for beavers. It follows on from several successful beaver releases at additional locations in Loch Ard Forest over the last year.

FLS’ Central Region Environment Forester, Katy Anderson, said:

“Loch Ard Forest is already proving to be the perfect place for beavers to establish themselves and make their mark on the landscape – becoming fully integrated into the local ecosystem.  

“It is an ideal setting to help the new arrivals ease into their new life. The mix of extensive wetlands, wet woodland and new native woodland should make them feel very much at home.

“FLS has been a key partner in the reintroduction of beavers to Scotland since hosting the Scottish Wildlife Trust and RZSS-led Scottish Beaver Trial at Knapdale back in 2009, where beavers were introduced into Loch Coille Bharr and soon moved upstream into Loch Barnluasgan.”

Loch Ard Forest is now home to 20 beavers with the addition of the latest pair. It is expected this will be the final translocation of beavers to the Loch Ard area with other sites considered elsewhere.

Katy said:

“The previously reintroduced beavers appear to have settled well at all the release sites and we are confident that will be the same for the new arrivals.

“We are already seeing the positive impacts of the animals setting about building their lodges and the dams that in their small way contribute to the restoration of Scotland’s natural environment, creating wetland habitats that will support a range of other species.”

This week’s release takes the total number of beavers that FLS has translocated to land it manages to 35 in 18 months.

As beaver kits mature and seek out their own territories, the beaver population is gradually dispersing naturally across suitable areas of FLS-managed land, a process that underpins the ongoing success of the reintroduction programme.

Dr Roisin Campbell-Palmer, Head of Restoration at Beaver Trust, said:

“This latest release continues to build on the work the Beaver Trust has been doing with FLS. It will drive forward the aim of actively expanding the beaver population into areas where they can bring real environmental benefits as part of Scotland’s National Beaver Strategy. This has only been made possible through our close collaboration with Five Sisters Zoo.

“We are confident the new pair of beavers will thrive here like previously released animals due to the abundance of suitable habitat."

Beavers arrived on FLS sites in the Trossachs through natural dispersal almost 10 years ago and Aberfoyle was naturally colonised by dispersing beavers around two years ago. The releases in Loch Ard Forest will help to support and increase this new, naturally expanding population. It also contributes towards the delivery outcomes and overall vision of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Partnership Plan of which FLS is a delivery partner.

Simon Jones, Director of Environment and Visitor Services for Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority, said:

“We warmly welcome the news of this latest beaver release at Loch Ard Forest. This marks another significant milestone in a long-running programme of collaborative and responsible beaver reintroductions, carried out in partnership with Forestry and Land Scotland and the Beaver Trust. These reintroductions clearly demonstrate the substantial benefits that nature and local communities can experience when conservation projects are managed with care, responsibility, and cooperation.”

Background

Beavers are semi-aquatic and prefer deep water, but they will dam shallow streams and ditches to create suitable living conditions where they are protected from predators. Their activities create habitats used by countless species of plants, fungi, fish, invertebrates, amphibians, and mammals for food, shelter, and reproduction. They began naturally recolonising rivers and lochs in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park around 2012, moving in from established populations further down the Tay and Earn catchments.  They have been expanding their range in the National Park since then, augmented by translocations to the Loch Ard Forest and to the Loch Lomond National Nature reserve.

As well as the existing Beaver populations at Knapdale and at locations in East and Central Scotland, FLS also manages Loch Morlich, which recently saw the Cairngorms National Park Authority-led first release outwith existing populations on FLS land since the beavers were officially protected by law.

FLS will continue to consider further releases to help support the Scottish Government’s Beaver strategy, which aims to “actively expand the population to new catchments” and is also looking at the suitability of other sites in North Region which are suitable for Beaver release.

In November 2023, FLS also completed a community asset transfer of 0.52 hectares of land in Knapdale - including the Barrandaimh farmhouse - to the Heart of Argyll Wildlife Organisation, where they have established the Argyll Beaver Centre.

Notes to editors

1. Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) manages forests and land owned by Scottish Ministers in a way that supports and enables economically sustainable forestry; conserves and enhances the environment; delivers benefits for people and nature; and supports Scottish Ministers in their stewardship of Scotland's national forests and land.
2. Home - Forestry and Land Scotland
3. Media enquiries to Neil Ratley, Media Manager, Forestry and Land Scotland Media Office 07748 872785 or neil.ratley@forestryandland.gov.scot