They had been invited to Knepp Wildlands to experience, firsthand, the tranquil wetland landscapes created by the Beavers that now call this place home. The visit didn’t disappoint.
Fran Southgate, our newly appointed Sussex Beaver Lead, began the morning by introducing the many benefits these landscape superheroes bring: from carbon capture to pollution filtration; drought resilience to flood peak reduction.
The group then set out in search of Beaver signs with Knepp Wildlands lead ecologist, Matt Phelps, picking out points of interest along the way including Beaver coppicing and the Spotted Flycatchers which are enjoying the newly-created habitats.
Arriving at the Beaver enclosure felt like stepping back in time. The sound of water trickling across the landscape, falling into pools and streams and dappled light streaming through lush greenery, criss-crossed by spider webs and dragonflies, left the group in momentary silence. Afterwards, people commented on how the landscape had brought back memories from childhood and feelings of joy. After a summer of extreme heat and wildfires, it felt both hopeful and awe-inspiring, demonstrating how these creatures can really help us adapt as our climate changes.
The visit was a wonderful way to say thank you to our Benefactor and Life Members for their support, the benefits of which will be felt long into the future.
Sussex Wildlife Trust are supporting the return of Beavers, and have been chairing the Sussex Beaver Advisory Group since 2018. The day felt like a landmark moment, where we could celebrate with our members, the success of restoring one of the important keystone species which are missing from our landscapes, and feel optimism about the work still to be done.
Want to find out more? Fran Southgate will be giving an update on Beavers in Sussex at 12pm on Tuesday 10 November.
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