The Scottish Beaver Trial is one of the most considered and well organised species reintroductions ever. Thanks to this project, we can once again see these beautiful creatures at work.

Ray Mears, Broadcaster and the UK’s leading Bushcraft Expert

Cover image © Philip Price, lochvisions.co.uk *Figures from the mid-Argyll region come from a local stakeholder consultation of 140 respondents, carried out during March 2014. The national survey was carried out online by YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1,652 Scottish adults (aged 18+), with 355 having heard of the trial. Field work was undertaken on 19 to 21 March 2014. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all Scottish adults (aged 18+). Additional infographic measurements correct as of 23 April 2014. scottishbeavers.org.uk

Return of the native?

We are grateful to the many individuals, funders and partners that have helped make the project a success over the past five years. Here, we share just a small selection of the comments of support we’ve received.

Celebrating five years of the Scottish Beaver Trial

Here in the Heart of Argyll, we have been pleased to host the Scottish Beaver Trial. We have had lots more visitors as a result, and the pools they have constructed have encouraged diversity in the forest.

Andrew Wilson, Local Business Owner and Chair of the Heart of Argyll Tourist Alliance

84%

I naturally love beavers as beaver is my nickname. We didn’t see any but we did see human tracks, the beginnings of a dam and some footprints as well as caterpillars, butterflies and dragonflies. We’ll definitely be coming back!

Beth Mackenzie, visitor to the Trial, aged 10

“ “ “

of mid-Argyll residents support wild beavers living in Knapdale.

11% disagree*

Beavers are incredible engineers. Their dam building and tree felling can benefit otters, dragonflies, waterfowl and much more. Because of the effect they have on their surrounding environment, beavers are known as a ‘keystone’ species.

Over the last five years, the effects of beavers on both their local environment and the local economy have been carefully monitored by a range of independent monitoring partners in order to help the Scottish Government make an informed decision on their future.

Simon Jones, Project Manager

years ago, the UK’s first ever trial reintroduction of a mammal began, with…

hundred messages of support from local people and businesses. Together, over the last five years, they’ve helped deliver…

organisations, The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, the Scottish Wildlife Trust and host Forestry Commission Scotland, backed up by over…

beaver families reintroduced to Knapdale Forest in the Heart of Argyll by…

groundbreaking project, the

Scottish Beaver Trial

Why reintroduce beavers?

80%of local people believe

that beavers will help tourism and the area’s economy.

4% disagree*

74%of Scottish adults aware

of the trial support beaver reintroduction, according

to a YouGov poll. 6% disagree*

Thanks to our funders and supporters, including:

The Scottish Beaver Trial is a partnership between:

Turn over to discover some of the facts, figures and responses generated by the project.

” ” ”

The Scottish Beaver Trial is one of the most considered and well organised species reintroductions ever. Thanks to this project, we can once again see these beautiful creatures at work.

Ray Mears, Broadcaster and the UK’s leading Bushcraft Expert

Cover image © Philip Price, lochvisions.co.uk *Figures from the mid-Argyll region come from a local stakeholder consultation of 140 respondents, carried out during March 2014. The national survey was carried out online by YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1,652 Scottish adults (aged 18+), with 355 having heard of the trial. Field work was undertaken on 19 to 21 March 2014. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all Scottish adults (aged 18+). Additional infographic measurements correct as of 23 April 2014. scottishbeavers.org.uk

Return of the native?

We are grateful to the many individuals, funders and partners that have helped make the project a success over the past five years. Here, we share just a small selection of the comments of support we’ve received.

Celebrating five years of the Scottish Beaver Trial

Here in the Heart of Argyll, we have been pleased to host the Scottish Beaver Trial. We have had lots more visitors as a result, and the pools they have constructed have encouraged diversity in the forest.

Andrew Wilson, Local Business Owner and Chair of the Heart of Argyll Tourist Alliance

84%

I naturally love beavers as beaver is my nickname. We didn’t see any but we did see human tracks, the beginnings of a dam and some footprints as well as caterpillars, butterflies and dragonflies. We’ll definitely be coming back!

Beth Mackenzie, visitor to the Trial, aged 10

“ “ “

of mid-Argyll residents support wild beavers living in Knapdale.

11% disagree*

Beavers are incredible engineers. Their dam building and tree felling can benefit otters, dragonflies, waterfowl and much more. Because of the effect they have on their surrounding environment, beavers are known as a ‘keystone’ species.

Over the last five years, the effects of beavers on both their local environment and the local economy have been carefully monitored by a range of independent monitoring partners in order to help the Scottish Government make an informed decision on their future.

Simon Jones, Project Manager

years ago, the UK’s first ever trial reintroduction of a mammal began, with…

hundred messages of support from local people and businesses. Together, over the last five years, they’ve helped deliver…

organisations, The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, the Scottish Wildlife Trust and host Forestry Commission Scotland, backed up by over…

beaver families reintroduced to Knapdale Forest in the Heart of Argyll by…

groundbreaking project, the

Scottish Beaver Trial

Why reintroduce beavers?

80%of local people believe

that beavers will help tourism and the area’s economy.

4% disagree*

74%of Scottish adults aware

of the trial support beaver reintroduction, according

to a YouGov poll. 6% disagree*

Thanks to our funders and supporters, including:

The Scottish Beaver Trial is a partnership between:

Turn over to discover some of the facts, figures and responses generated by the project.

” ” ”

2.81 million viewers on the BBC’s Springwatch

31,100 people engaged in Beaver Trial walks, talks,

events and education sessions

Over 200 schools and colleges visited (nursery,

primary, secondary, tertiary and continued education)

5,343 children and 2,092 adults engaged by our formal

education programmes

1,165 Facebook likes 1,078 Twitter followers

Nearly 100,000 online visitors from

150 countries

11,817hours of field work

people engaged2,950,778One of the largest field trials of its

kind anywhere in Europe, the Scottish Beaver Trial has collected data on everything from water quality to socio-economic impacts. A small field team, together with over 60 volunteers and 13 independent monitoring partners, have come together to help the Scottish Government make an informed decision on the species’ future in Scotland.

On the cold spring morning of Thursday 28 May 2009, over 400 years after beavers were hunted to extinction in Britain, the first animals in this scientific trial were released at Loch Coille Bharr. Since that morning, these remarkable ecosystem engineers have been steadily transforming the landscape of Knapdale Forest – constructing dams, creating canals, felling trees and building lodges.

Attracting interest and support from over 150 countries, this award-winning project has engaged local people and businesses through events, talks and workshops. It has also engaged young people through school visits right across Scotland, and international visitors through the website, social media, TV and press coverage. If you haven’t already done so, why not pay a visit to Knapdale soon?

26countries recorded

in the Knapdale visitor book

400 years

since beavers were hunted to extinction

Beaver trapping

1,297

31

Other activities

Water collection and sampling

1034

71

Video capture and analysis

624

Guided walks and tours

720

Field search for beaver signs

2,703

Checking for presence of mink

350

Night tracking sessions

3,016

Lodge surveillance

287

Beginning with beavers… Led by science… Supported by the public...

Knapdale

36 25

Day tracking sessions

1,717

1998 Knapdale identified as the site for

a possible reintroduction

2000 Local consultation exercise

shows majority support a trial

2007 Beaver reintroduction features in new Species Action Framework

2008 Scottish Government grants

licence for trial

2009 First beavers released

in Knapdale

2010 Beaver kits spotted for

the first time

2014 End of field monitoring

in Knapdale

2015 Independent monitoring report

submitted to Scottish Government

? Decision made on the future

of beavers in Scotland

The largest dam (on the Dubh Loch) is 18m long and 1.6m high

13,045m2

14beavers have been born in

Knapdale since the trial began

61 Volunteers

peer-reviewed journal publications and

conference proceedings generated by the trial

24

colleges and universities engaged23

independent monitoring partners, led by Scottish

Natural Heritage13Winner Lonely Planet “Wildlife Comeback

Award”

Runner-up & highly commended RSPB Nature of Scotland “Innovation Award”

Winner BBC Countryfile

Magazine Award for “Best Conservation Project”

2011

2013

2013

315 magazine and newspaper articles covering the trial

Surface area of new freshwater habitat created.

This is approximately the same size as 10 Olympic-sized

swimming pools

2008 Beavers brought from

Norway to the UK

© C

laire

Gre

ssw

ell

This is around the same size as a double garage!

The largest beaver lodge (on the Dubh Loch) measures 7.78m long,

2.14m high and 11.29m wide.

Distance walked during field activities. This is roughly equivalent to

walking from Land’s End to John O’Groats

©Milou Gev

en

©Katrina M

artin

The Scottish Beaver Trial is one of the most considered and well organised species reintroductions ever. Thanks to this project, we can once again see these beautiful creatures at work.

Ray Mears, Broadcaster and the UK’s leading Bushcraft Expert

Cover image © Philip Price, lochvisions.co.uk *Figures from the mid-Argyll region come from a local stakeholder consultation of 140 respondents, carried out during March 2014. The national survey was carried out online by YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1,652 Scottish adults (aged 18+), with 355 having heard of the trial. Field work was undertaken on 19 to 21 March 2014. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all Scottish adults (aged 18+). Additional infographic measurements correct as of 23 April 2014. scottishbeavers.org.uk

Return of the native?

We are grateful to the many individuals, funders and partners that have helped make the project a success over the past five years. Here, we share just a small selection of the comments of support we’ve received.

Celebrating five years of the Scottish Beaver Trial

Here in the Heart of Argyll, we have been pleased to host the Scottish Beaver Trial. We have had lots more visitors as a result, and the pools they have constructed have encouraged diversity in the forest.

Andrew Wilson, Local Business Owner and Chair of the Heart of Argyll Tourist Alliance

84%

I naturally love beavers as beaver is my nickname. We didn’t see any but we did see human tracks, the beginnings of a dam and some footprints as well as caterpillars, butterflies and dragonflies. We’ll definitely be coming back!

Beth Mackenzie, visitor to the Trial, aged 10

“ “ “

of mid-Argyll residents support wild beavers living in Knapdale.

11% disagree*

Beavers are incredible engineers. Their dam building and tree felling can benefit otters, dragonflies, waterfowl and much more. Because of the effect they have on their surrounding environment, beavers are known as a ‘keystone’ species.

Over the last five years, the effects of beavers on both their local environment and the local economy have been carefully monitored by a range of independent monitoring partners in order to help the Scottish Government make an informed decision on their future.

Simon Jones, Project Manager

years ago, the UK’s first ever trial reintroduction of a mammal began, with…

hundred messages of support from local people and businesses. Together, over the last five years, they’ve helped deliver…

organisations, The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, the Scottish Wildlife Trust and host Forestry Commission Scotland, backed up by over…

beaver families reintroduced to Knapdale Forest in the Heart of Argyll by…

groundbreaking project, the

Scottish Beaver Trial

Why reintroduce beavers?

80%of local people believe

that beavers will help tourism and the area’s economy.

4% disagree*

74%of Scottish adults aware

of the trial support beaver reintroduction, according

to a YouGov poll. 6% disagree*

Thanks to our funders and supporters, including:

The Scottish Beaver Trial is a partnership between:

Turn over to discover some of the facts, figures and responses generated by the project.

” ” ”