How lucky are the villagers of Lydbrook, living as they do in the stunningly beautiful Wye valley with the wildlife-rich Forest of Dean right on their doorstep. But by definition being in a valley means being near a river, and this particular village nestles between the River Wye and the flood-prone Greathough Brook. And that has proved not so lucky on more than one occasion.
But the good folk of Lydbrook received welcome news in 2015 with the promise of a £290,000 flood defence overhaul. And the good luck kept on coming in the form of, courtesy of the Forestry Commission, a family of beavers.
Derek Gow, a beaver expert who has worked on reintroductions in Scotland and England, said: “This is a tremendous opportunity. The science suggests these animals will hold back 6,000 cubic metres of water.
“This has the potential to prevent a once-in-30-years flood event. These animals will also open the forest canopy to light, and create a biodiversity jewel in this forest.”
Read more: Meet the latest recruit to the UK flood defence team: the beaver – The Guardian
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I hope the little fellows and all their hard work are more appreciated there than they are here.
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These villagers are keen to embrace their presence. They hope it will attract tourism, ie the beavers will be useful to them. As long as they are useful, animals are valued. When they inconvenience us, they are designated pests:(
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It’s good to see animals being appreciated. though all animals should be valued in their own right, not only when they prove useful to humans, which as you say is most often the case.
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