Natural flood management: 70m-wide dam built by beavers

Forestry England brought in a specialist team of beavers to aid flood defence management. Yes, you read that right, beavers.

A pair of Eurasian beavers were transported from Scotland to Cropton Forest in Yorkshire back in April 2019, as part of a potentially revolutionary, five-year trial for natural management called "Slow the Flow".

They were introduced to a ten hectare sized enclosure in a semi-wilded area. With beavers being natural habitat engineers, they have the ability to restore habitats, while slowing the water flow downstream by building dams.

Since then, the beavers have grown to a family of ten and built a series of dams using mud, sticks, poles and vegetation, including a 70 metre-wide and two metre-high dam across Sutherland Beck, which runs into the River Seven.

The dam is said to be the largest of its kind constructed by beavers in England, with the aim of protecting nearby towns like Pickering, which was a flood hotspot prior to their arrival.

In particular, Pickering suffers from summer flash floods, due to the steep nature of the catchment, as does Sinnington.

The trial has proven a huge success, though the enclosure can only hold 12 to 15 beavers, so next steps of rehoming will soon be needed.