Beavers have recently made a much needed return to Britain and with good outcomes coming out of this. Beavers are helping the environment in different ways: restoring wetlands, recreating natural river dynamics and ecology, filtering farm pollutants from water, improving habitat for trout and other fish but most importantly making a cute return as they are so adorable.
Beaver dams are built by beavers to provide ponds as protection against predators such as bears and to therefore provide easy access to food during the cold winters. In Knapdale, a scottish beaver trail, the beavers have transformed a small pond into a wetland that had never been seen before. There are numerous other examples of how the beavers help Britains ecosystem that can be found at this website: http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/49392
Whilst there are trials going on about letting beavers back into England some governments such as the Scottish one, has first refused and will now make a decision after five years of scientific monitoring. However I see no reason why beavers should not be allowed as they have so many benefits to our fragile ecosystem.
Beavers enhance wetland habitat, reduce down-stream flooding, silt runoff and diffuse pollution in major water courses. The habitats formed by beavers are vital for many different species (group of organisms where two individuals are capable of reproducing fertile offspring) including but not limiting to mammals, insects, reptiles and more.
For those of you you are obsessed with money and do not see their value to our ecosystem beavers also have positive impacts on the economy! Wildlife tourism is rapidly growing and many people are willing to pay great money to see these beavers in their natural habitat. Another economic aspect is the huge potential for beaver activity to deliver an economic benefit, regarding the retention and purification of the national water resource, if money does not have to be spent purifying water resources it can then be spent somewhere else.
Therefore the return of beavers in Britain is exciting as there are so many positive impacts that will come along with these !