Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Reintroduction of beavers  (Read 4520 times)

harmony

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: Reintroduction of beavers
« Reply #15 on: August 20, 2020, 12:44:36 pm »
[member=4333]Fleecewife[/member] yes, I'm aware of that but I have tweaked my back and sitting typing isn't the best at the moment.


In a nutshell I'm not against the idea. I would like to see the current projects expand but with clear plans in place to deal with the problems that will arise. It is foolish to think there wont be any but I think we can learn a lot from other countries on how to mitigate the issues.

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Re: Reintroduction of beavers
« Reply #16 on: August 20, 2020, 01:17:24 pm »
Beavers I can deal with lynx and wolves are  NO from me.

arobwk

  • Joined Nov 2015
  • Kernow: where 2nd-home owners rule !
Re: Reintroduction of beavers
« Reply #17 on: August 20, 2020, 06:18:59 pm »
A question:  anyone know what the effect of beavers is on the migration/population of fish on a beaver "managed" river way ? 
It occurs to me that a beaver dam (or dams) along a river way will affect trout (and other fish, crustaceans etc) movements and habitation of a river way. 

Steph Hen

  • Joined Jul 2013
  • Angus Scotland.
Re: Reintroduction of beavers
« Reply #18 on: August 20, 2020, 06:55:35 pm »
Arobwk, this is something I’m interested in. We have some lovely burns and one in particular. I’d like to create naturalised, partial damns along it, with a central channel to hold back more water at all times and slow the flow when it’s in spate. However we’d have to jump through many hoops and would be worried about getting something wrong or even inviting the people in to ask what we could do in case they’d find fault with something.

Doing this might make sense to me but everything is more complicated than it seems.

For one thing, creating dams and blockages slow water and can create habitat and reduce soil erosion. However these things can also increase erosion as anyone who’s seen a watercourse changing its path due to an obstruction will know.

Leaky dams which are sometimes popular for slowing force of water don’t always provide good access for fish (too big to access the gaps in silted up branches unless there is a good flow over the top). I’m also interested in the long term effects of these; do they eventually silt up completely?

The beaver dams that I’ve seen near Kirriemuir have largely been removed periodically requiring diggers to be brought into the sites and now large metal cages built around culverts under bridges. Otherwise the nature reserves paths and probably hides would be underwater. The beavers have felled a fair amount of trees and the reserve’s staff have put chicken wire around remaining trees so that they aren’t damaged.

They seem to be less of an issue on larger waterways like the Tay.

I feel we live in such a managed landscape that I don’t look forward to the day when I have to start wrapping trees in chicken wire, hiring diggers in to keep our access bridges open, having metal cages built to stop them damming under bridges. I’ll be very please to watch them with the children.

And it still feels hypocritical that beavers can ringbark and kill the riparian trees (which taxpayers paid to have planted because they are ‘needed to stabilise the banks and create beneficial waterside habitat’) and build their dams and obstruct waterways for fish, but I would have to get licences to do either of these things and spend time and money replanting the trees! (Lol! Rant, But it’s been a long day!) :roflanim:


sheeponthebrain

  • Joined Feb 2016
  • Turriff
Re: Reintroduction of beavers
« Reply #19 on: August 20, 2020, 09:42:37 pm »
beaver release. why not, crack on.  i mean its  not like we can think of any other non native species introduced to the uk that have had a negative effect on other fnative species.  well exept grey squirrels. oh and bracken.  oh and rhodedendrum. nit to mention sea eagles who aooarently love fulmers as a protein filled snack

Calling sea eagles non-native is pushing it a bit.
The last one was shot in 1918, they were re-introduced in 1975 so we're only absent for 52 years, that's just 2 generations (of eagles)
aye.  sorry thats my bad writting im aware sea eagles were fairly recently hunted out of the uk.  although how one teaches a partially hand reared bird that it only eats fish is certainly beyond me. 

harmony

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: Reintroduction of beavers
« Reply #20 on: August 20, 2020, 11:17:30 pm »
A question:  anyone know what the effect of beavers is on the migration/population of fish on a beaver "managed" river way ? 
It occurs to me that a beaver dam (or dams) along a river way will affect trout (and other fish, crustaceans etc) movements and habitation of a river way.


It seems on the whole beavers are good for fish. There's loads of info on the net. There are beavers on many European rivers that have migrating salmon.

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Reintroduction of beavers
« Reply #21 on: August 21, 2020, 12:24:18 am »
beaver release. why not, crack on.  i mean its  not like we can think of any other non native species introduced to the uk that have had a negative effect on other fnative species.  well exept grey squirrels. oh and bracken.  oh and rhodedendrum. nit to mention sea eagles who aooarently love fulmers as a protein filled snack

Calling sea eagles non-native is pushing it a bit.
The last one was shot in 1918, they were re-introduced in 1975 so we're only absent for 52 years, that's just 2 generations (of eagles)
aye.  sorry thats my bad writting im aware sea eagles were fairly recently hunted out of the uk.  although how one teaches a partially hand reared bird that it only eats fish is certainly beyond me.


Sea Eagles don't only eat fish - that's Ospreys.  Sea Eagles eat more general prey like other raptors do, as well as fish.
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Reintroduction of beavers
« Reply #22 on: August 21, 2020, 12:32:30 am »

And it still feels hypocritical that beavers can ringbark and kill the riparian trees (which taxpayers paid to have planted because they are ‘needed to stabilise the banks and create beneficial waterside habitat’) and build their dams and obstruct waterways for fish, but I would have to get licences to do either of these things and spend time and money replanting the trees! (Lol! Rant, But it’s been a long day!) :roflanim:

Hi Steph Hen, most trees at water courses are the types which easily regrow when coppiced, such as alder, sallow, poplar and willow.  The beavers cut them off a foot or more above ground level and given a year or two the trees will be regrowing well, with more stems than before.  So if you selectively coppice your trees in rotation you will certainly not need to replant.  Each time a tree is coppiced, it develops an ever stronger root system which can only be good for holding back the banks.
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Reintroduction of beavers
« Reply #23 on: August 21, 2020, 12:46:57 am »
[member=4333]Fleecewife[/member] yes, I'm aware of that but I have tweaked my back and sitting typing isn't the best at the moment.


In a nutshell I'm not against the idea. I would like to see the current projects expand but with clear plans in place to deal with the problems that will arise. It is foolish to think there wont be any but I think we can learn a lot from other countries on how to mitigate the issues.

A good point.  Both landowners and conservationists can shut their minds to the needs of the other, when it's conversations and education of both which is important.  It is as necessary for conservationists to understand the farmers needs and point of view, as it is for farmers to understand the inportance and relevance of this type of conservation project. I agree with you that before progress can be made there need to be measures in place to deal with any problems which arise, but those measures need to be decided on with input from all sides or they are worthless.
I hope your back improves soon - no fun having a sore back !
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

arobwk

  • Joined Nov 2015
  • Kernow: where 2nd-home owners rule !
Re: Reintroduction of beavers
« Reply #24 on: February 01, 2021, 12:24:05 am »
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/travel/news/why-the-lives-of-britains-fish-could-be-about-to-get-better/ar-BB1dgzhn

So panels, your Starter for 10 is (no conferring) - What differentiates a beaver dam from a weir  ??? 
« Last Edit: February 01, 2021, 12:36:34 am by arobwk »

 

Forum sponsors

FibreHut Energy Helpline Thomson & Morgan Time for Paws Scottish Smallholder & Grower Festival Ark Farm Livestock Movement Service

© The Accidental Smallholder Ltd 2003-2024. All rights reserved.

Design by Furness Internet

Site developed by Champion IS