There’s amazing beaver news from the National Trust!   And it’s a great example of how membership supports conservation.

At the Holnicote Estate in Somerset, the Eurasian beavers Yogi and Grills were released in the enclosure back in January 2020.  The aim was to improve flood management and also support the health of rivers and streams.  And these beavers are really busy – restoring biodiversity loss, showing the flow of water AND managing the effects of climate change!

They've also been busy producing their first kit in 2021 and twins in the spring of 2022.  The three kits – Rashford, Russo and Toone – were named after England football stars, with the help of the public!

And now, the National Trust has given us all the chance to join an interactive 360 degree video tour of the beaver enclosure they now have! 

You can watch the beavers as they beaver away and go about their daily lives and it’s also a great opportunity to find out how the beavers are changing the landscape there. 

You can explore the lodge, dams and pools that these eco-engineers have created, and watch footage of the beavers and their kits!

The National Trust is going to add more footage to the tour in the future – it’s a very exciting project!

Whilst the beavers are beavering away, the Holnicote team are beavering away as well.  They are looking to see how the beavers are changing the environment around them.   They are creating dams and deep pools of water which in turn has created homes for wildlife such as amphibians, bats, otters, kingfisher, dipper and waterfowl.

Image © National Trust/Nick Upton

Go beavers!  Do have a look at the beaver cam – it really is exciting, but I also found it very peaceful and restful simply watching the beautiful scenes of nature!   And if you don’t see them the first time, take another look another time of day – you never know what you’ll spot!

More dam news from those Beavers!

The National Trust has a guide on beavers and you can find out lots more about there and what the Trust is doing to beaver away for beavers.

Memberships supports the conservation work the National Trust is doing

• Members help the National Trust protect over 780 miles of coastline;
• Members help the Trust to protect and promote the outdoors in its care so that everyone can connect to nature, and members inspired the Trust to launch its well-known “50 things to do before you’re 11 and three quarters” campaign to get children outdoors.
• Members help the Trust look after woodlands, both old ones and new ones
• And members have helped support conservation efforts such as the beaver release in Somerset

So what do members get?

There are lots of benefits, including free access to over 500 places in the Trust’s care.  There’s free parking at most National Trust car parks for members, and you get the National Trust Handbook, which is packed full of useful information about the places you can visit.  You also get the National Trust Magazine three times a year – it’s full of inspiration, interviews and news, and there’s access to the Trust’s online Members’ Area, with lots of behind the scenes features and first-look previews!  Find out more and give a gift membership today!