National Trust bid for more beaver releases

Beavers have already been introduced onto the Holnicote Estate as part of a trial

The National Trust says it is working with farmers as part of plans to secure further beaver releases as part of a government trial on its Holnicote Estate in Somerset.

This week, the government launched a national scheme to reintroduce the species, which was wiped out in the UK due to people hunting it for fur.

However, the National Farmers Union (NFU) says it is worried about the negative impacts on land used for food production.

Labour says the trials along the River Otter in Devon showed the benefits "more than outweigh the risks".

Beavers on Holnicote Estate are said to have helped create a 'wetland wonderland'.

The National Farmers Union is calling for the government to work on a longer-term plan before further beaver releases go ahead.

It warns the species can feed on crops such as maize and can flood fields - although agrees in the "right location" beavers can provide some benefits.

Speaking to BBC Radio Somerset Ben Eardly, senior project manager for the National Trust at Holnicote, said "they have created a bit of a wetland wonderland" saying the trial reintroduction has been "mainly good".

He claims they are working with farmers and Natural England and will be applying for future licenses to release more beavers onto the estate.

The National Trust says the beavers have created more wetland spaces at Holnicote by clearing woodland

However, NFU Deputy President David Exwood said: "With existing legal and illegal populations of beavers expanding across England, the government must put in place a longer-term vision and management plan for beavers before any further wild releases are considered".

A government spokesperson said it will gather data on any damage caused by beavers to " help them assess the scale of any issues" and say "changes may be needed to our management plan".

"We will continue to support farmers, landowners and local communities in the long term," they added.