Beavers in Scotland - Conservation translocation guidance for applicants, consultees and interested parties

In order to give an application the best chance of being successful we recommend the Scottish Code for Conservation Translocation project form, is completed in full. We advise all potential applicants to seek early engagement with NatureScot regarding an application to discuss timescales and expectations. The Scottish Code for Conservation Translocation application form is designed for all types of conservation translocation and is therefore generic. Once completed it, and any necessary, additional information, will provide a comprehensive record of the project proposal. It also aims to ‘walk’ the proposer through the key issues, consider the legal, biological and socio-economic issues, and assess the associated risks and benefits, thereby helping to better plan any project and increase the chances of success.

Any application would be expected to include:

• The SCCT application form
• An assessment of release site suitability with maps – including how many beaver territories are planned to be accommodated and whether a single release or a programme of translocations is planned. Applications that are of a strategic nature and consider the potential for a programme of beaver restoration in the wider catchment are preferred.
• A stakeholder consultation/engagement report.
• Where the application is not by the landowner, evidence of landowner permission(s).

We think it is reasonable that people with specialist beaver knowledge are consulted as part of a proposal to ensure that assessments of site suitability are well founded and where appropriate that consideration is given to neighbouring beaver territories. However, NatureScot recognise that some of the details requested in the SCCT form will be common to most beaver translocation projects and hence we are developing some standard protocols that can be used by applicants to address the relevant parts of the application form and will make them available as soon as they are completed. These standard protocols are as follows:

• Disease risk assessment and screening – to be added at a later date
• Best practice guidance for beaver welfare during translocation projects and biosecurity – to be added at a later date
• Post release monitoring - to be added at a later date

We have produced a summary of evidence in an accessible format that is intended to be useful to both applicants and consultees in considering the potential impacts of beavers. This includes potential benefits and negative impacts should a translocation project be approved. This summary draws on information from scientific reviews carried out to date including the Beavers In Scotland (2015) report, a review of hydrological effects carried out by CREW in 2021 and a review carried out by Natural England in 2021. There is a substantial library of beaver-related technical and scientific publications (much of which is summarised in Beavers In Scotland (2015)) available at www.nature.scot. If you have further specific queries please contact [email protected].

The importance of consultation and engagement is highlighted in Scotland’s Beaver Strategy 2022-2045. SCCT advises that a process of engagement or consultation is carried out that is proportionate to the proposal, however, this is not a statutory consultation in the same way as a planning application with pre-defined consultees or a fixed consultation period. In the case of beaver translocations, this may depend on whether beavers are already established in a catchment; on the number of family groups that are proposed to be released, the number of neighbouring land owners likely to be affected and the nature of their concerns. Guidance on this is given on p41-43 of the Code. In our interim guidance we outlined the focus of the consultation should be on the local area or sub-catchment rather than the whole catchment unless the proposal relates to the whole catchment. However, NatureScot will carry out an assessment of environmental effects (Strategic Environmental Assessment and with regard to Natura sites; Habitats Regulations Assessment) at a whole catchment level for priority catchments. The scale reflects that beavers are expected to be able to colonise suitable habitat within whole catchments at some point in the future following a release (with some exceptions where physical barriers exist). These regulatory assessments would need to be in place before NatureScot could issue a licence.

NatureScot will expect to see an objective, evidence-based report on the stakeholder engagement exercise included with a licence application. This should detail:

• The approach to engagement and consultation that has been carried out
• Details of who has been consulted
• A summary of issues that have been raised through consultation (positive or negative)
• Proposals for how any concerns raised can be addressed and benefits realised

The applicant should endeavour to provide sufficient and meaningful detail of the proposal to consultees. It is suggested that this includes a written summary of the project, maps showing neighbouring land holdings and the sub-catchment boundary.

Appropriate methods should be used to ensure members of the community are aware of the consultation/engagement exercise in good time and have the opportunity to engage. The proposer should consider, for example, the use of notices in local newspapers, social media, community hubs and community groups etc., designed for the various social groups within the community.  A contact address should be provided to allow comments to be submitted to those carrying out the consultation.

The following should be included in consultations regarding beaver translocations as a minimum:

• All land managers likely to be impacted and their representative bodies - National Farmers Union for Scotland and Scottish Land and Estates.
• District Salmon Fisheries Boards and rivers trusts.
• Local Authorities including environmental health teams.
• Public bodies – SEPA, Scottish Forestry, Forestry and Land Scotland, Scottish Water
• Community Councils
• Other forums that may be important locally e.g.in National Parks.

In some catchments there may be particular interests that would also warrant consultation e.g. with Historic Environment Scotland or Scottish Canals.

Consultation is expected to focus on those most likely to be affected and such interests should be given multiple opportunities to engage if they so wish. If a project does not allow interested parties a fair opportunity to feed in to a translocation application, your application may be refused. NatureScot have not specified a minimum period for a consultation, but the duration should enable all those who might wish to make comment on the proposals reasonable opportunity to do so.

Local engagement and consultation can take various forms and the format followed should be appropriate to the local circumstances. This could take the form of a series of 1:1 meetings with land managers and stakeholders, hosting public meetings, inviting responses to questionnaires or formally inviting written comments on a proposal. We would encourage a process of engagement rather than a one-off meeting; whereby consultees have the opportunity to ask questions and applicants to respond to these before their views are recorded. We recommend that a record is made of discussions and that both applicant and consultee have the opportunity to agree it is an accurate record of discussions. NatureScot would expect to see the objective, accurate reporting of comments evidenced in an application. NatureScot would plan to make publicly available the parts of the application and consultation report that do not breach GDPR. Not everyone will be in favour of beaver translocation proposals, however, it is important to record the nature of any concerns so that they can be fully assessed.  The design of the final proposal set out in the application should take account of the views expressed during the engagement/consultation process.

All applications will be looked at on their merits at the time of the application, but some locations will be regarded as higher priority areas for translocations.

NatureScot have carried out a spatial analysis of potential beaver interactions with other key interests for all mainland river catchments in Scotland. The analysis will inform the potential for environmental benefits and for conflicts with other interests in new catchments and will help to prioritise which catchments are subject to detailed environmental assessment. Catchment specific assessments will be carried out to help assess the appropriateness of beaver releases which will then feed into the assessment of licence applications.  These spatial assessments do not take account of stakeholders views although there will be an opportunity to comment on these reports. We plan to consult on an environmental report which will be produced as an addendum to the Strategic Environmental Assessment carried out for Beavers in Scotland in 2017. There will also an opportunity to comment on the catchment specific assessments produced thereafter.

It is possible some catchments may not be suitable at the moment, for example where there is insufficient, suitable habitat, but where habitat restoration initiatives may make them more suitable in the future.

Some of the main issues NatureScot will assess in considering licences to release beavers will include:

• What are the potential benefits in terms of ecosystem services and associated socio-economic and cultural considerations?
• What are the potential conflicts arising, potential costs and ongoing need for mitigation?
• How will the conservation status of the Eurasian beaver benefit from this translocation?
• Has necessary specialist input been sought to ensure adequate habitat suitability and ongoing management requirements are identified?
• Has sufficient information been provided to consultees, and adequate stakeholder engagement been undertaken, and does the application include details of how consultees concerns have been addressed and how they can access potential benefits?
• What are the potential impacts on other habitats and species, including protected areas/species?
• What monitoring should be carried out and why?

Our advice is to start the engagement process as soon as possible and to ensure you have completed everything as fully as possible before submitting the application. Our staff can support applicants to ensure this is the case. The decision making is not a statutory process with a fixed timescale, but NatureScot will endeavour to make a decision within a month of having received an application where there are catchment-level environmental assessments in place. It may not always be possible to do so in complex cases or where there remain concerns that have not adequately been addressed in an application.

We expect that beavers being translocated outside Scotland either to enclosures or to the wild, will go through a similar process within the licensing authority in the recipient country. We only give permission for the collection of Scottish beavers once we are satisfied that the agency involved has given all prerequisite permissions and are happy with the proposals.

There is no public register for translocations in the same way as there is for planning applications or forestry operations. However, part of the expectation on applicants is that they should seek to consult and engage with those most likely to be affected by a translocation proposal. Hence we would expect that there is communication with the local community relating to any proposal either through appropriate routes, such as local newspapers, social media or by contacting interested parties directly.

It is unlikely to be possible for an applicant to contact every person in an area directly and if a member of the public is unable to attend an engagement event/ public meeting that is planned, the proposer should make available a contact to allow them to submit comments or seek further opportunity for discussion.

NatureScot will be prioritising the assessment of environmental effects in new catchments as part of our assessment of licence applications. We will publicise the publication of these environmental reports. The assessment of environmental effects at a catchment-level does not guarantee success of an individual licence application, but we will aim to prioritise those catchments which offer the greatest benefits from beaver restoration. See our Strategic Environmental Report addendum here (to be added at a later date).

NatureScot expects the applicant to lead on the consultation/engagement process and submit a report on what work has been carried out as part of an application. It is not NatureScot’s role to consult or to collate comments on a specific proposal. We would encourage consultees and interested parties to participate in the consultation/engagement being carried out so that your comments can be taken into account. We would expect an application to highlight any concerns raised and to outline how these concerns can be mitigated.

NatureScot’s role is to assess an application based on the Scottish Code for Conservation Translocations and licensing tests. We do not expect to be petitioned directly on specific licence applications, but our staff are available to explain the licensing process via our [email protected] mailbox or to point to sources of information on beavers via our [email protected] mailbox.

Within the overall policy direction of actively promoting beaver translocation the purpose of the consultation should be:

• To engage with those who are likely to be affected by the proposal and raise awareness of the potential benefits and impacts of beaver activity, and invite them to comment and ask questions.
• Gather any concerns, and highlight any opportunities relating to the proposal so that they can be taken into account in assessing the proposal.
• To consider what mitigation and monitoring may be required to address potential negative impacts.

NatureScot expects that significant adverse impacts will be identified, assessed and, if necessary, appropriately addressed by the applicant and detailed in the application form. Specialist advice may be required. This should also include details of any reasonable mitigation measures to reduce impacts. The details provided should be sufficient for NatureScot to undertake its own desk assessment of the significance of impacts. This will include both the ecological assessment and the assessment of socio-economic impacts. NatureScot licensing team will seek views of specialist advisors and local staff as part of their assessment. If NatureScot considers that the impacts are too severe and/or cannot reasonably be mitigated, then the release licence is likely to be refused.

We expect applicants to consider what impacts beavers will have on the conservation interests likely to be affected by the release of beavers in the local area or sub-catchment and include this in their application. NatureScot will carry out an assessment of the expected environmental effects in the wider catchment, which may occur over a longer timescale as beavers spread from the release site/s. This will include carrying out a Habitats Regulations Assessment for Natura interests likely to be effected.

If there is significant and pertinent opposition to the proposal then it may not be the right place for a conservation translocation. NatureScot will take due regard of the outcome of engagement, and may take external expert advice. Not everyone will be in favour of beaver translocation proposals, but it is the nature of any concerns that will be key in deciding whether a release licence should be granted. NatureScot will make the final decision and will publish a decision document on our website for all licence applications for the release of beavers to the wild. This will explain the reasons for our decision and any conditions that are placed on the licence. We expect that not everyone will agree with our decisions, but we aim to be open and accountable.

NatureScot operate the Scottish Beaver Mitigation Scheme with a view to reducing beaver conflicts and to building on our experience of living alongside beavers. The scheme is designed for land managers and is open to farmers, fishery managers and crofters throughout Scotland where beavers are present and having a negative impact. NatureScot provide advice and practical assistance and the mitigation scheme provides materials and covers the costs of installation. We have a small team of staff based in Tayside, Stirling and Inverness. We also have specialist contractors to help provide this service. The point of contact for all enquiries is our mailbox - [email protected]. We aim to respond to enquiries within a few days.

NatureScot is not able to offer site visits to individual land managers as part of the consultation process on translocation proposals, but may contribute to workshops with groups of land managers to explain what support is available. Once an application has been approved we would be happy to arrange site visits to look at mitigation works. Some mitigation could be carried out proactively in advance of beavers being present where there are particularly sensitive assets and our approach here will be risk-based.

Details of our mitigation scheme

Mitigation works supported includes:

• Practical assistance and cost of materials for appropriate levels of tree protection.
• Installation of flow devices in beaver dams to regulate water levels behind the dam.
• Installation of water-level sensors to alert to the presence of a dam on sensitive watercourses or those prone to damming.
• Installation of beaver exclusion fencing where appropriate.

NatureScot is also currently trialling other techniques which could be considered in other situations if they are demonstrated to be effective.

• Use of electric fencing to reduce crop-damage for short sensitive periods.
• Use of water gates for beaver exclusion from sensitive drainage networks.

We produced a summary (3.1) on the work of the mitigation scheme as part of our Beaver Management Report in 2020.

We have also produced some guidance on existing government support for land management that will deliver wider environmental benefits including in areas that may be occupied by beavers. The current scheme runs until 2024 and discussions are ongoing as to the design of future support payments.

There are no plans to offer a compensation scheme for impacts arising from beaver activity, in the same way that we do not compensate for road collisions or damage caused by other wildlife species. NatureScot can grant protected species licences for the purpose of preventing serious damage, which could include dam removal or where necessary beaver removal. See our licensing pages for details of beaver licensing. The expected need for species licensing to avoid damaging beaver impacts will be taken into account in the assessment of translocation proposals.

We have produced a summary of evidence in an accessible format that is intended to be useful to both applicants and consultees in considering the potential impacts of beavers. This includes potential benefits and negative impacts should a translocation project be approved. This summary draws on information from scientific reviews carried out to date including the Beavers In Scotland (2015) report, a review of hydrological effects carried out by CREW in 2021 and a review carried out by Natural England in 2021. There is a substantial library of beaver-related technical and scientific publications (much of which is summarised in Beavers In Scotland (2015)) available at www.nature.scot If you have further specific queries please contact [email protected]