Beavers Created a Thriving Wetland - the results are magic

[@J-berg]

Happy to see beavers making a comeback in England. As an Oregonian, our state animal is the Beaver, the Beaver is on our state flag, and the college I went to mascot is the Beaver. We love Beavers over here, and they are in nearly every watershed. Its amazing how steady the water level remains throughout the dry summer and wet winter when there are multiple dams on a small creek.

[@myriaddsystems]

Bless you

[@LeaveCurious]

I'd love to visit!

[@michiganmonsters01]

​@LeaveCurious I would love to see you making an Impact in the US as well. I love your videos and wish we had more people like you over here

[@leswallace2426]

Beavers can help national food security...seriously. Intensive tree planting and reintroduction of beavers in our uplands which are really poor agriculturally, would mean far less flooding of VERY productive lowland farming, plus of course less damage to homes and businesses. I really wish beaver proponents would start shouting this 'from the hills' as it were. Great videos Rob, thanks.

[@davidhuth5659]

Beavers are the best dam thing!!

[@jacktheomnithere2127]

remember the "wildlife corridors" project? those 3-ish metre wide woods that would border each field, allowing crops to still be farmed while also allowing wildlife to travel from one spot to another? imagine that, plus a few Beaver wetlands here and there... it'd be a *glorious* sight!

[@Keiseru]

Another excellent video. I love how the farmer was so accepting of that. Unfortunately a lot of people are less tolerant to encroachments on their land or the status quo and will not accept any loss, be it time or money. In Sweden we have a lot of forests (70% of land) but most of the forest is subjected, to forestry and few pristine forests are left, and the logging companies resist any attempts to protect more forest. Only a couple percent of low-lying verdant forest outside of the mountainous areas is protected! It's very difficult to find continuous pristine forest that you can't walk through in a couple of hours in most parts of Sweden. The current government is looking into allowing logging of mountainous forests as well! The mountain-forests are slow growing and not that valuable as a commodity in the long term (after replanting) anyway so it's a shame. We have plenty of beavers though!

[@alun7006]

Love a beaver! Great to see them doing so well - long may it continue.

[@CyclingShrimp]

Beautiful video! I was enjoying it so much, that I was sad it ended! Good job!

[@ORutter2232]

Love it, there are two brooks near me that could do with some beavers to help reduce floodng in our village.

[@TheLimburgian]

There certainly are species that don't go well with beavers, mainly species that require fast flowing water and clean substrate like certain fish and aquatic macro invertebrate species. In a fully natural system it's unlikely to cause a major problem as there'd likely be enough spots for both but in places where space is limited it does cause issues. Here in Limburg (NL) we have a ton of beavers (estimate between 1200 and 2000) and them turning large stretches of faster flowing streams into stagnant ponds and inundating natural spring complexes is actually an ecological problem for the water management agency. Limburg is the only region in the Netherlands that has a larger quantity of both faster flowing streams and natural springs and as a result houses many species that are either rare or do not appear in other parts of the country. Now obviously the usual suspects like pollution, improper land use and changes in morphology have already caused a big decline in these species and their habitat and it's currently small and fragmented. As such beavers are seen as a threat to the ecology in some areas as they can turn some of the remaining areas unsuitable. Hopefully this threat decreases as more stream and river restoration is done but in many cases that is quite difficult. While beavers are incredibly landscape engineers we should keep in mind that they're not a panacea. They cause an immense change in morphology, something which not all species profit from.

[@LeaveCurious]

Interesting and yes your point about fully naturalised systems is spot on. In Limburg where the beavers have created these ponds, what has been the total effect for bio diversity? If it doesn't outweigh the negatives, removing dams can be quite effective, although an ongoing battle. I've also noted on most beaver dams, while the pond behind the dam is deep and still - there's almost always one or two points where the water spills over, which can get quite fast during heavy rain. The river bed is almost always so clean just the other side of the dam too, potentially making conditions better for those creatures that rely on it.

[@owen7495]

Beavers are def my fav project from the bunch! Such a good symbol for natural regeneration, we love beavers in NA!

[@Birkguitars]

I see comments about beavers destroying trees but dead trees often support a wider degree of biodiversity than living trees. Add in the wetland wildlife and it is hard to argue against them.

[@invisiblejaguar1]

It always seems to be the farmers that have the most difficulty with finding a way to coexist with the wildlife and that's understandable. Be it elephants, tigers, wolves when they were in Britain and now Beavers. It's just finding a way for both humans and other animals to share the land and there's always a way, that's life for ya.

[@ichifish]

I appreciate your long slow shots fo the landscape.

[@BaronOttofried]

I really have to say... i could listen to your voice the whole day damnit so calm and at the same time enthusiastic!

[@kenogster3059]

Some of my best fishing days were at Beaver ponds.

[@LeaveCurious]

Yeah fish love them!

[@31Blaize]

I went to see the beaver enclosure at Hatchmere the other day, it was amazing! I would dearly love the UK government to stop dragging its feet about releasing them into the wild: the benefits are many.

[@LeaveCurious]

i agree, its sadly just not the agenda in any meangingful way - but matter not, because beavers are out and they're on the move

[@Herbit-k4j]

Rewilding doesn't necessarily have to be at odds with food production. Buffalo meat is pretty tasty. And there is an entire spectrum of farming methods between rewilding and industrial agriculture. Syntropic farming is one step away from rewilding and still produces tons of food.

[@acelticmiscellany]

I love you mate, happy holidays for you and your family... which is the world

[@bomaracev]

Aw I just love beavers. I'm so glad they're getting to have their comeback! Also enjoyed the otter (Ed). He's yummy to look it 😜

[@09conrado]

The difference between the clarity of the water before and after the dam is shocking

[@bill8985]

I live along a river in the eastern US. The beavers came back many years ago. I now canoe past (haul over) these structures. There are occasionally 20 pound stones in the middle of these structures. I am in awe of the ingenuity and strength of my local beavers. I am now suspicious, but considering, the notion that because there are a number of ducks and geese floating by, the beavers get their strength from Dancing Duck Dark Drake Stout. A tasty beer. Pretty sure it is fortified.

[@JoakimBalogh]

Seems a bit little trees there to sustain beavers a long time as it is only 1 line of trees along the river. Any plans on planting more trees? Initially protected but later on in x years gradually returning it as potential beaver food?

[@LeaveCurious]

the brook has some nice patches of woodland & trees along it, thats the more greener images in the video - a lot of the tree species which beavers eat naturally coppice like willow, so they come back anyway!

[@normanchristie4524]

People don't like confusion, nor do farmers. Re-education is needed to accept that our landscape, only developed after beavers were eradicated for HATS! Yes, we need to accept a bit of disruption; bu5 these harmless creatures need to be welcomed back to re-engineer our land. As a landscape photographer, my favourite spots are natural wet pools.

[@jeanneale9257]

More beavers less flooding win win

[@brqxton8974]

more beavers, more intentional flooding, less catastrophe

[@Foxtrottangoabc]

What a fantastic looking wetland 🦫 👍

[@geoffmaloney2717]

Have seen many video's on how the beaver is being used in North America for wetland rehabilitation with remarkable success, great to see this happening in Britain as well. Is this happening in the rest of Europe/Asia as well? I know the beaver population in Eurasia is growing. Would be great to get these practices widespread.

[@geosamways]

In our local area of SW France, a big project recently finihsed that has rewilded the River Dronne by removing all the artificial dams and weirs, allowing the natural energy of the river system to return, and also allowing migrating fish to move upstream and sediment move downstream. How do beavers fit into that? Won't these dams stop fish migration, and pond up the sediment? The local rivers have also been rerouted around the many shallow lakes that used to occur along the natural water course. Apparently the lakes were changing the ecosystem by heating the water up to unnatural levels during the summer. Won't bevaer dams do the same?

[@scottprather5645]

This is awesome 👍👍

[@RoseNZieg]

at the moment i presume there are not enough beavers in England. i hope people are willing to relocate nuisance beavers.

[@danyoutube7491]

@2:00 Hang on, beavers build foundations? That's impressive!

[@myriaddsystems]

If you want to avoid the massive floods experienced in the UK in recent years, then let the beavers sort it out❤

[@PumpkinLatte6798]

Beavers Yay❤❤❤❤🎉🎉🎉🎉😊😊😊😊!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@LeaveCurious]

had to get another beaver video in before the end of the year!!

[@MrSvenovitch]

Existence is still tragic and shitty. Thank goodness it's still temporary and we'll all still soon be dead and forgotten.

[@jameseden9380]

Nice

[@MarktheRude]

The water cleaning effect of a beaver damm seems quite rather interesting. Could it actually help with the fertilizer run offs from farmers fields in a significant way? It would be rather great if that was the case. Other than for a small piece of land you'd essentially have a team of workers that helped to mitigate the issue of water pollution for free.

[@LeaveCurious]

Well they certainly capture a lot of sediment, whether if this filters out harmful chemicals etc I honestly would need to see some tests, but I’m confident they would.

[@andyalder7910]

Have to rename it Beaverbrook. Oh wait, didn't he own the Daily Express?

[@johnpullen3729]

Nice. I've been moaning at people for years, sayin how importent they are for them reasons.. Good to see them back.. Now for the man eating Wolves... 😁

[@09conrado]

Never heard of him, what's his name? Don't think they taste too good I think, wolves...

[@steverobbins4274]

I'm not sure if beavers being reintroduced is a good idea.They are as you say, Chaotic. I wonder if man made beaver dams could be more effective as they can be strategically placed.

[@KoStaKuchi]

Is there anything or anyone the beavers can't help? Ask the lady with the overflowing toilet....

[@LeaveCurious]

hahaha thats not what i meant :)

[@griffinhunter3206]

i can think of a single creature which wouldn't benefit from beavers in a landscape: the other species of beaver, cause they compeat for the same shit

[@StephenForster-z3m]

👍

[@MarkKravchuk]

Happy that you guys can rejuvenate Britian! I would want to spread awareness of that in Ukraine because most people just see beavers as giant rats that destroy rivers🫠.

[@LeaveCurious]

thats wild!!!!

[@The_Plastic_Ape]

Beaver...........................fnarr fnarr

[@spencersanderson1894]

It’s crazy how people in England can’t live with wildlife. They’ll have a panic attack if a bee flies into their garden. Imagine if they lived in one of those villages in Africa that has elephant problems. They’d die of exposure.

[@Kingsaxxy3872]

Not all of us thankfully, I happen to like wildlife in my garden, got a bunch of Hedgehogs and even some local Foxes.

[@rjung_ch]

👍💪✌

[@IfEnjoinder]

[@JeffBilkins]

Strange it is still normal tenant land for the farmer and not more community owned, as it works for the whole village now.

[@davidprocter3578]

Moles, earth worms, bank voles, sand lizards, ground nesting birds other than water fowl, many plant species not adapted to water logged soil. I would like to point out I have been in favour of beaver reintroduction since the 1960's I believe there is a place for everything when everything is in it's place. But you did ask.

[@LeaveCurious]

haha yes I did, I like to learn & have discussions. interestingly in bavaria sand lizards actually behave more like marine iguanas, basking on top of beaver dams & diving into the water to evade predators! i think the wider idea is that humans all too often assume what a species like & needs, when they've ultimately just adapted to the environment around them. good on you for wanting beavers back, i wish they did come back in the 60s!!!

[@davidprocter3578]

@@LeaveCurious Yes sand lizards do like diving at alarming speeds what's even more impressive they don't always need water.

[@jws1948ja]

he needs to do something about his hair.

[@LeaveCurious]

i'm rewilding it