More beaver zones to be built at flood-prone estate

Two beavers were introduced to the Spains Hall Estate in Essex in 2019

Two more beaver enclosures are to be built in the area of Essex where a pair of the animals were released into the wild for the first time in 400 years.

In 2019, two Eurasian beavers were introduced at the Spains Hall Estate near Braintree to help reduce flooding.

A year later the pair, called Woody and Willow, had two offspring, known has kits.

Archie Ruggles-Brise, estate manager, said: "The chance to bring more natural engineering skills to the estate is beyond exciting."

The beavers build dams slowing down the river flow and sending water to new channels which has helped prevent flooding

The mammals were hunted to extinction in England centuries ago, but have since been gradually reintroduced.

The estate, at Finchingfield, flooded in 2012 and 2014.

Mr Ruggles-Brise said: "Since 2019 we've seen what beavers can do to reduce flood risk, increase drought resilience, clean water and create year-round habitat for wildlife."

He said the beavers would make the estate "more able to weather the changes climate change will bring, and all the while providing inspiration and experience that others can use elsewhere".

The £350,000 project, funded by an environmental partnership, will see two new 50-acre enclosures built, 10 times the size of the original enclosure which was built in 2019.

The beavers also help during drought conditions, experts said

The Environment Agency (EA) said the beavers reduced flood risk by building dams which slow down the river flow and send it through new channels and wetlands.

The dams also helped river flows by slowly releasing retained water, helping to protect local wildlife during the dry weather in the summer.

Matt Butcher, from the EA, said: "The beavers have shown what effective flood engineers they are in the past few years and it'll be great to extend this to a wider area."

Anglian Water's Dr Robin Price, said the effects of climate change "are felt more keenly in the east of England more than anywhere else in the UK".

He said the beavers were a "wonderful, nature-based solution".