The Foundation has alwayws been eager to see the reintroduction of European beavers in Scotland, and to the rest of the United Kingdom. In 2008, Mike Russell MSP, the then Biodiversity Minister in the Scottish Government issued the welcome licence to start a trial release in Knapdale. The first beavers at Knapdale were released in May 2009, In England and Wales, potential projects are being examined to restore beavers in the countryside. The Foundation has assisted with the debate and helped with project proposals for over a decade; and started the Scottish Beaver Network some years ago, which provided website information and discussion during the lean years of waiting. Roy Dennis is now an expert member of the Scottish Beaver Steering Group, which is charged with taking forward the trial reintroduction of beavers at Knapdale. The Scottish Wildlife Trust and the Royal Zoological Society for Scotland are carry9ng out the trial, in co-operation with the Forestry Commission and Scottish Natural Heritage. This is a big step forward in species recovery. We have proposed a rolling programme of releases and new sites will be chosen for future releases.

English Nature commissioned a Feasibility Study on beavers in England. Derek Gow and Roy Dennis are carrying out a ground search for potential release sites in England and engaging in discussions with landowners and interested parties. In March 2008 they took a small group, comprising representatives of the NFU England, the Salmon & Trout Association, the Rivers Trust, the Game and Wildlife Conservancy and the British Waterways Board, on a two-day fact finding tour of beaver sites in Bavaria, with expert guidance by Gerhard Schwab, Bavarian beaver manager.

For information about beavers in Scotland, visit the web-sites of the Scottish Wildlife Trust and the Scottish Beaver Network.