Staffordshire estate will continue reintroducing wildlife, ranger says

Harvey Tweats said the reintroduction of species was needed to achieve a sustainable future

Species reintroduction will continue on a Staffordshire estate despite the government stepping away from the strategy, a wildlife ranger has said.

Harvey Tweats, from Trentham Gardens, near Stoke-on-Trent, said it was still an exciting time for wildlife species.

In June, the estate recorded the birth of a baby beaver in the county for the first time in 400 years.

Last week however, the government announced the reintroduction of species was no longer a priority.

Ministers are instead focussing on habitat restoration and pollution.

Mr Tweats said the government's decision would not affect reintroduction of species on the estate.

Beavers have been reintroduced into the UK in recent years after they were hunted to extinction

"The beavers at Trentham are totally safe and are not affected by the legislation," he said.

Environment Secretary Therese Coffey said on Friday that the government had reassessed its priorities.

"Ultimately, we have a broader range of activities and we have to choose where we can put our resources," she told the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs committee.

Trentham Gardens has worked with the Beaver Trust to create one of England's largest beaver enclosures, after they were hunted to extinction in the UK.

Mr Tweats said bringing animals like beavers into England was "fundamental" to restore the country's biodiversity.

'Tackle climate change'

"This is because certain species can manage our environment more than people can and it also helps improve wildlife resilience to climate change," he said.

Jeff Sim, head of species reintroduction at The Wildlife Trusts, said: "Reintroducing wildlife must be part of the UK government's arsenal for tackling nature loss and climate change - it is astonishing there is no strategy for doing so."

Mr Sim said delaying the return of native species like Eurasian beavers goes against commitments made by the government in its 25-year Environment Plan.