Isle of Wight beaver release: representing you

22 June 2026 3 minute read
A beaver in a pond holding a stick

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust has formally submitted a licence application to Natural England for the wild release of beavers into the Eastern Yar catchment.

The application proposes an initial five-year licence period, followed by a formal review if successful.

The NFU has worked hard to engage with the Trust and other stakeholders as the project has developed, to ensure that members’ businesses are not impacted by the release and to feed the views of farmers and land managers directly into the discussions.

Natural England will now review the application in detail and undertake consultation with a wide range of stakeholders. This is expected to take approximately four to six months.

We have put together a survey to gather your views about the proposed beaver release, so we can have the evidence to send to Natural England about this specific license application and any asks which we might have.

Please do fill out the survey to help contribute to this.

Complete the survey

The NFU will continue to make sure members’ interests are represented throughout this process, particularly in relation to:

  • Uniqueness of the island and suitability of beavers
  • Potential impacts on agricultural land and businesses
  • Clarity on management responsibilities and accountability
  • Availability of funding and support for affected landowners
  • Practical arrangements for mitigation and rapid response

We recognise that beaver reintroduction raises a range of views and concerns and it is important that members are aware of developments at an early stage, so we will keep you updated on any consultations as they are announced, and as further details of the application and consultation process emerge.

If you have any questions, concerns, or would like to discuss how this may affect your business, please contact Environment and Land Use Adviser Ellie Newman.

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