Guidance - Managing the impacts of beavers in Scotland

Guidance for land, property and infrastructure managers.

Introduction 

On 1 May 2019 the beaver became a European Protected Species, receiving protection under Scots law. However, beaver activity - building dams, burrowing or foraging - can impact on a range of interests and so it is important that provision is made to intervene and manage these impacts to prevent damage.  Some types of intervention require a licence from NatureScot before they can be undertaken.  For example, you will need a licence to kill or trap beavers, or to damage or destroy their breeding sites or resting places.  NatureScot is responsible for beaver licensing.

This document describes where to get advice, the interventions and management actions that do and do not need a licence and how we will consider and administer licences to manage the impacts of beavers.  

Getting help and advice

We can provide advice by email or over the phone to help you to make the appropriate decision on what to do next, if you find that are negatively affected by beaver activities.  Sometimes a site visit may be necessary and, if so, we can arrange one to provide free expert advice. The site visit will help determine how beavers are using the area, the management options available and any licensing requirement. 

To contact NatureScot for help and advice email [email protected]

In emergency circumstances where there is an imminent risk to public safety or serious damage to land/property, contact the licensing helpline: 01463 725364.

How to manage beaver impacts

Beavers can have a range of impacts on a range of interests.  There are a number of different ways to manage these impacts and which technique to use will depend on the circumstances. Some of these actions require a licence, but many do not.

Whatever the situation you can call the helpline for advice to help understand the possible impacts and get expert advice. If you are in any doubt then get in touch.  

Actions that do not require a licence

  • Carrying out ongoing land management activities near lodges, burrows or dams  (providing they don’t damage those structures) e.g. ploughing a field next to a beaver lodge
  • Discouraging dam building e.g. through fencing
  • Removing new dams (less than 2 weeks old), notching or installing flow-devices to them.
  • Protecting banks from burrowing activity
  • Destroying short burrows with no end chamber
  • Infilling channels/canals created by beavers
  • Fitting protectors to vulnerable trees
  • Fencing off areas to keep beavers out e.g. from crops or woodland

Actions that do require a licence

  • Removing older dams (more than 2 weeks old), notching or installing flow devices to them
  • Destroying lodges or chambered burrows
  • Trapping and relocating beavers
  • Lethal control

Notes

  • See Annex 1 for guidance on beaver management techniques.
  • If other protected species may be present or if activities could affect a designated site qualifying interest then please contact NatureScot even if a beaver licence is not required.  
  • Sometimes management of older dams may be able to be carried out without a licence, but determining this will require expert advice, which NatureScot can provide.
  • Removal of beaver dams using hand tools and or ropes/ grapnels does not require authorisation from SEPA, nor does removal using bank-based machinery.  Use of in-stream machinery may require a CAR licence from SEPA.

How to apply for a licence

We can provide advice by email or over the phone, but require an form be submitted to ensure our licensing staff have the relevant information to process the application. Completed application forms should be sent to [email protected]

Licensing assessment

In order to issue a licence, we have to be satisfied that three legal ‘tests’ are met.  These tests are summarised below together with details on how we will assess them.

Test 1 – Licence purpose

We issue licences for purposes set out in the legislation: these include for preventing serious damage to certain interests such as crops, timber or fisheries, for public health and safety reasons or other important social, economic or environmental purposes which are in the public interest and for conserving natural habitats or wild animals.

This means that there has to be a legitimate problem that needs addressing.  To help us consider if this test is passed, we may rely on information we already have, your own information and/or the information gathered by the expert adviser from a site visit.  

In certain situations which may be particularly vulnerable (e.g. dam building affecting areas of prime agricultural land (Prime agricultural land here means land classes 1, 2 and 3.1) or sensitive in-stream infrastructure, flooding public transport infrastructure, damage to protected features on Natura sites or burrowing into flood embankments) we consider that this test is likely to be met.  

Test 2 – Alternatives

We issue licences as a last resort.  This means we have to be assured that other possible actions that would either not require a licence or have less impact on beavers, have either been tried or are not likely to resolve the problem.  Again, we will rely on information from the affected person, the expert adviser and previous experience to help us judge whether this test is passed.

We accept that there will be situations where there is no satisfactory alternative other than to issue a licence for lethal control.  These situations include where there is serious damage (or the risk of it) to prime agricultural land, and where we know alternative mitigation measures either have not or will not address the problem.  

Test 3 – Conservation impact

We have to ensure that licensed actions do not harm the conservation status of beavers in Scotland and so will not affect population trends or the overall range of beavers.  In the first instance we would follow the principles above in that those actions with the lowest impact on beavers that solve the problem must be considered first.  Where we licence lethal control of beavers we will monitor the cumulative impact of this management.   

Given the evidence from recent survey information that beavers continue to expand their range even with ongoing lethal control in places, we are confident that the actions we licence will not be detrimental to the conservation status of beavers and so this test is likely to be met. We will maintain an oversight of the cumulative impacts of what we licence and the population dynamics and range of the Scottish wild beaver population to ensure that this is the case.    

Licensing on Prime Agricultural Land

Where beaver activity damages agricultural interests on areas of PAL, and alternative actions would not be effective, then the three licensing tests will have been met. Therefore if you are experiencing problems from beaver activity affecting PAL or anticipate that you are likely to have problems in the future then you should contact us. Any licence granted will cover the land management unit in question to permit intervention as necessary to protect prime agricultural land. This means that the area covered by such a licence would not have to be wholly classified as PAL. Actions can be carried out to prevent serious agricultural damage to non-PAL land subject to agreement with NatureScot. 

NatureScot will be able to issue a licence to permit the removal of dams and, if required, lethal control. A site visit will also be offered to provide further advice. Licences can be emailed or posted to the landowner or manager. 

Licensing for other ‘vulnerable situations’

Knowledge of beaver activity means that we can anticipate other ‘vulnerable’ situations where licences are likely to be sought to address beaver impacts. This could include burrowing into embankments, damming affecting infrastructure, fisheries, other agricultural land (i.e. non-PAL land) or species of conservation concern. Such situations will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and any licence issued will explain what you can do in the particular circumstances.

We recognise that in some situations immediate action will be required. Where there is a need for immediate action we can licence immediately and on the basis of a telephone conversation. 

Key principles to licensing approach             

Activities licensed

Any licence granted will aim to provide a solution to the problem being experienced. Whilst in many cases solutions may be possible with relatively minor interventions, in others a greater degree of intervention will be required. There is a Mitigation Scheme to trial new approaches to addressing beaver impacts and to learn from them but we will also licence lethal control in vulnerable situations (see above).   

Minimising welfare impacts

Whatever the activity that is licensed we have to ensure that impacts on animal welfare are minimised. For this reason management licences do not apply during the kit dependency period from 1st April to 16th August. If actions have to be carried out during the kit dependency period then an exceptional licence must first be sought and additional measures will have to be put in place to minimise welfare impacts.  

Trapping of beavers

Trapping of beavers that are causing impacts to other interests is proving to be an effective means of removing beaver families and reducing impacts. NatureScot are supporting trapping as the preferred approach over the use of lethal control where this is feasible. Trapping can only be carried out by specialist licenced trappers to ensure the highest standards of beaver welfare and that there is a planned approach to beaver release in line with translocation policies. Trapping can be arranged by NatureScot on sites where beaver licences have been issued that include the use of lethal control.

Lethal control

We accept that there are situations where there will be no alternative other than for lethal control. This includes where damming activity threatens serious damage to prime agricultural land and where we know alternative mitigation measures either have not or will not address the problems being experienced.

Lethal control is easier to undertake during autumn and winter when beavers are more predictable in their emergence pattern and should be used to remove the entire family group.  In order to ensure that lethal control is carried out humanely, it can only be carried out by trained individuals (accredited controllers) and subject to agreed procedures. 

Lethal control licences do not include the kit dependency period, which runs from 1st April to 16th August. An exceptional licence can be applied for where it is necessary to prevent an imminent threat to public health or safety or serious damage to property or to prime agricultural land. 

Period licensed and renewal of licences

Licences can run for multiple years but if they permit lethal control the law restricts the length of time for any one licence to two years. If problems are ongoing or likely to recur, new licences can be issued.  

Annex 1 Summary of Beaver Management Techniques

Introduction

Techniques for the effective management of beavers and their activity are well developed across Europe and North America.  Many of these have potential application in Scotland and are summarised below.  NatureScot recognise that in some instances techniques are not currently available to solve all problems being experienced. The Mitigation Scheme will look to identify and trial new methods where this is the case.

Further information on these some of these existing techniques is available from the following resources:

  • Roisin Campbell-Palmer, R. et al. (2016) The Eurasian Beaver Handbook: Ecology and Management of Castor fiber. Exeter: Pelagic Publishing, UK.
  • Campbell-Palmer, R., Schwab, G., Girling, S., Lisle, S. & Gow, D. 2015. Managing wild Eurasian beavers: a review of European management practices with consideration for Scottish application. Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 812.

NatureScot aim to provide a series of technical advice notes covering the use and installation of newly developed and existing techniques considered to be most appropriate in Scotland.  Provided below is a summary of the existing techniques, describing what they are and why they are used.

Techniques to manage beaver dam building activity 

  • Dissuasion techniques (short-term) - Use of dissuasion to prevent dam-building, either where known ‘pinch points’ occur or perhaps where a dam has been removed and is likely to be reconstructed. A range of techniques have been trialled but are often not effective long-term solutions. 
  • Dam-notching - Partial removal of a small section of the middle of a beaver dam, usually by hand, to increase water flow over that section. Most often associated with aiding fish passage. May be used to lower water levels in beaver ponds behind a dam.
  • Dam removal - Complete removal of whole dam structure either by hand or using a mechanical device. Used where no increase in water level, or potential blockage to fish passage, is considered acceptable in a watercourse or part of a watercourse.
  • Deterrent fencing (in-stream) - Fencing or gate-type structure, either permanent or temporary, to prevent beavers accessing areas of water, crops or trees where damage from damming activity is deemed intolerable. 
  • Piped dam with mesh filter (water flow devices) - Placing a long pipe through a beaver dam with a wire mesh filter attached to the end, to manage the water level behind the dam on a permanent basis. Used to manage water level behind or above a dam where a certain water level is tolerable but any further increase would not be. Essentially, it acts as an overflow device for the dam.
  • Culvert protection - Using in-stream fencing (with or without a pipe/wire mesh) to prevent blockage to the entrance of culvert from dam building activity.
  • Grilles - Use of metal grille or guard to prevent beavers blocking culvert exists.

Techniques used to manage beaver burrowing and digging activity

  • Infilling of beaver-dug channels - Infilling beaver dug channels (canals), by hand or using machinery, starting at the riverbank and working inland. 
  • Preventing burrowing - Use of sheet metal piling, rock armour or mesh to prevent burrowing (or further burrowing) into vulnerable flood embankments or adjacent land. 

Prevents beaver burrowing activity from starting, continuing or moving into adjacent land.  To note, these hard engineering techniques unlikely to be widely applicable in Scotland.  New techniques may be trialled through the Mitigation Scheme.

  • Destruction of burrow or lodge - Destruction of a beaver built lodge and or burrow usually by infilling either by hand or using machinery. This could only be carried out under licence.

Techniques used to manage beaver foraging activity

  • Tree protection - Protection of individual or small numbers of amenity or other valuable trees by use of individual fences, mesh wrapping or deterrent paints. Prevents beavers foraging on individual trees.
  • Deterrent fencing (on land) - Fencing, either permanent or temporary, to prevent beavers accessing areas of water, crops or trees where damage from foraging activity is deemed intolerable. 
  • Deterrent fencing (in-stream) - Fencing or gate-type structure, either permanent or temporary, to prevent beavers accessing areas of water, crops or trees where damage from foraging activity is deemed intolerable. 

Techniques to manage beavers themselves

  • Translocation (trap & relocate) - Live trapping of beaver(s) for release elsewhere.  May be carried out for conflict management of ‘problem’ animals, for welfare (i.e. a sick or injured animal) or conservation purposes (e.g. reinforcing other existing populations). See our translocation policy.
  • Lethal control - Culling of beavers under licence to resolve reduce/manage impacts of beavers where there is no other satisfactory solution. 

Contact

If you already have a licence number, include it in the subject line of your email, or have it to hand when you call.

Licensing Team

01463 725364

[email protected]

Disclaimer: Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has changed its name to NatureScot as of the 24th August 2020. 
At the time of publishing, this document may still refer to Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and include the original branding. It may also contain broken links to the old domain.
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