THE Scottish Government’s tree-planting agency has decided to press ahead with plans for a controversial beaver release in a community torn apart by the proposal.
After public consultations lasting two years, Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) intends to apply this autumn for a licence to introduce beavers – which can damage trees and cause flooding – into Glen Affric.
If the application is allowed by Government wildlife agency NatureScot, the beaver introduction will be a major development in the animals’ spread.
It will be only the second in the Highlands outside their existing ranges around Tayside and in Argyll, the first north of the Great Glen, and the first by FLS, which will be working in partnership with conservation charity Trees for Life (TfL).
Although a majority of people in the local community, centred around the village of Cannich, have said they are happy about the reintroduction, most local farmers are firmly opposed, with one calling the decision to go ahead “totally unacceptable.”
Feelings have been running high in the Strathglass area since the proposals were mooted two years ago.
The conflict came to a head earlier this year when one angry landowner opposed to the beaver release had to be asked to leave a consultation session about the proposal.
Local people who favour the beaver release told the consultation team they are scared of speaking up because of landowner opposition.
Conservationists push for beaver introduction because the animals create biodiverse wetlands and mitigate downstream flooding with their dams.
TfL owns the Dundreggan estate not far from Glen Affric and has a 500-square-mile rewilding plan, the Affric Highlands project.
It will employ a beaver officer to monitor the animals and deal with any problems if the release goes ahead.
After an initial public consultation, the proposal has been scaled down and a fresh consultation this year found the majority of local people were in favour of the proposal for beaver release near Loch Beinn a’ Mheadhoin, five miles upstream from Cannich.
FLS has now said it is looking to make a licence application this autumn, with a potential release next spring.
The agency added: “This will only happen once we have mitigated the concerns that have been raised through our consultation process.”
Mitigation is intended to lessen any negative impacts of beavers and can include providing support to farmers facing beaver-dam floods, and monitoring where the animals go.
But Karl Falconer, who farms 60 acres near Cannich said there were no mitigation measures that would make beavers acceptable in Glen Affric, with 40 local farmers against the proposal.
He said erosion on the River Glass was already a problem because of rapid fluctuations in water levels, caused by the hydro-electricity upstream dam on Loch Beinn a’ Mheadhoin.
Beavers digging into the banks would make matters worse: “They are beautiful creatures, and I’m for the reintroduction in the right places, but not in Strathglass. Our views are being ignored.”
Local farmer Sheena Thomson, who has 500 acres of valley-bottom land in Strathglass and farms ground four miles from the planned release site, said the consultations had been biased in favour of the beavers, failing to properly describe possible beaver damage.
She plans to object to the licence application, fearing beavers will travel downstream and damage the banks that protect her fields from flooding, meaning hay, silage and grazing will be lost.
“Since day one, they just haven’t listened,” she said.
“All the local farmers area against this. We are the people who will have to bear the cost of flooding, in lost productivity, and we feel our views should have more weight than people who don’t have a stake.
“There is no compensation to the landowner or farmer to cover the cost of any productive land being flooded or lost into the river.
“This is totally unacceptable: the introduction of beavers should not be to the detriment of existing businesses.
“The solid wall of objection from the vast majority of farmers and landowners in Strathglass could not be clearer, but sadly FLS has decided not to listen and to push on with the proposal regardless.”
Steve Micklewright, chief executive of TfL, said: “It’s been inspiring to see so many local people engage so enthusiastically with our Glen Affric beaver proposals.
“A licence application from FLS to NatureScot for the reintroduction of these remarkable animals would be a hugely positive step forwards for nature, climate and people.”
Since 2021 Scottish Government policy has been to encourage the release of beavers, including by Government agencies such as FLS, and to allow releases all over the country.
Beaver reintroduction was high priority for Green party ministers during their now-ended spell in Government alongside the SNP.
Green Highlands and Islands MSP Ariane Burgess (above) said : “I am delighted that Forestry and Land Scotland are progressing with proposals to release beavers … I congratulate those involved in this project for making space for beavers to help nature thrive.”
So far only one translocation of the animals outside their existing range has taken place, in upper Speyside, by the Cairngorms National Park Authority. The authority said this week two beaver kits had just been born on the Spey.
