Translocation of beavers in Scotland

In line with the vision of Scotland’s Beaver Strategy to see the beaver population actively expanded to appropriate areas of Scotland, NatureScot has been supporting the process by producing guidance, carrying out strategic assessments and assisting with the costs of translocations. As Licensing Authority, we have approved licences for beaver releases and have given an explanation of how we reached our decision. These documents are listed below.

Beavers were formally permitted to remain in Knapdale and Tayside in 2016 and have since spread naturally to the River Forth and wider Forth area, parts of Fife, West Lothian and the Clyde. Licenced releases have taken place on the Forth, on Loch Lomond and the upper Spey catchment; with reinforcement of populations in Knapdale and in the Trossachs and Tayside.

We want to hear from land managers who are willing to host beavers on their land. Anyone interested in finding out more about the process can contact us by emailing [email protected].

Guidance

Interim guidance on NatureScot support for and assessment of beaver translocation projects

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

Strategic Assessments

To inform the likely effects of a programme of beaver translocations NatureScot have committed to carrying out an assessment of the environmental effects of beaver releases into new catchments (Environmental Report (ER) under Strategic Environmental Assessment Regs (SEA)). NatureScot also has a statutory duty to assess the potential impacts on Natura sites (Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA)).

Assessments are being carried out at a catchment scale and are not specific to beaver release proposals. We are prioritising the assessment of new catchments where we are aware there is existing interest in beaver translocation and in catchments where we have assessed there is the most potential for environmental benefit and a lower risk of conflict.

A comprehensive ER (as required under the SEA Regs) and HRA of Natura sites, was carried out in 2017 and focussed on two detailed zones; Tayside and Knapdale. We produced an Addendum to the 2017 ER in 2022 to provide an update to our knowledge of beavers, their effects, mitigation methods and the policy context. This included an assessment of all 138 mainland river catchments with a view to informing their suitability for beavers. In producing strategic assessments (ERs) for new catchments we seek not to replicate much of the existing work, but to highlight what are likely to be the key effects (including cumulative effects) in the local environment in new catchments and explore where the balance is likely to sit in terms of benefits and risks.

Reflecting that the SEA consultations we have carried out to date and that the conclusions reached have been broadly similar, we plan to follow a screening approach going forward to examine if the range of receptors and interactions would be expected to be similar in other new catchments. However, if following this screening exercise there are different issues identified or the scale of interactions is expected to be different from those previously considered, we would complete and consult on a more detailed Environmental Report. We are also seeking to complete a Habitats Regulations Assessment (1994) at a national scale, such that assessments would not need to be carried out on a catchment-by-catchment basis.