Beaver Fever Comes to Purbeck! (online talk)

Join us for the last of the free online talks in our  Wildlife in the Red series.

Gen Crisford, Engagement Officer for the National Trust, will talk about an exciting project looking to reintroduce beavers to the wild in Purbeck, Dorset.  She will discuss the reasons behind the initiative, as well as the progress of the project and how you can get involved.

The Eurasian beaver is native to Britain and used to be widespread in England, Wales and Scotland. They became extinct in the 16th century, mainly because of hunting for their fur, meat and ‘castoreum’, a secretion used in perfumes, food and medicine.

Gen said: “Beavers have a positive effect on their environment through their behaviour. By gnawing on stems, they ‘coppice’ trees like willow, hazel, rowan and aspen. The regrowth provides homes for a variety of insects and birds.

“Beavers can also offer a nature-based solution to improving the health and function of river catchments. Beaver-created wetlands can act as sponges, resulting in more constant flows and retaining water during droughts. A series of leaky beaver dams can reduce the speed of flow and help reduce the chance of flash flooding.”

The talk takes place on Thurs 23 Sept, 7.30-8.30pm. It’s free but booking is essential.

About our speaker

Gen Crisford works as an Engagement Officer for the National Trust Purbeck Beaver Project. Originally from Dorset, she began her wildlife career in Malawi, managing a wildlife reserve, working on the re-release of a variety of species and building community awareness to reduce human-wildlife conflict.