Written question WQ84493
- Asked by
- Mabon ap GwynforPlaid
- To be answered by
- Minister for Climate Change
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 9 days
Question
Will the Minister provide information on any funding that Welsh Government has provided to organisations or bodies to support the reintroduction of beavers in Wales?
Answer
Answered by Minister for Climate Change
Welsh Government provided £155,952.73 of funding through the Enabling Natural Resources and Well-being grant to the Wales Beaver Project, led by North Wales Wildlife Trust, in 2019. A substantial beaver enclosure at Cors Dyfi was constructed, and three beavers were re-introduced following the granting of a licence by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) to allow the managed introduction of Eurasian Beavers to the enclosure.
In 2021 additional Welsh Government funding of £553,236.00 was approved to develop a better connected and resilient freshwater ecosystem within the Dyfi catchment. This funding also contributes to the ongoing work of the Wales Beaver Management Network (WBMN). Welsh Government contributed £25k to WBMN in start-up funding for equipment and training in 2018. WBMN offers enhanced monitoring and management of Beavers throughout Wales.
All decisions on granting licences for the re-introduction of Beavers in Wales rests with NRW.
The cooperation agreement commits us to introduce statutory nature targets. Well managed species reintroductions have an important role in meeting any such targets, once in place they will encourage activity to benefit wide ranges of habitats and species in ecosystems.