SheffieldForum Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 A £100,000 pilot project to discover where best to reintroduce wild beavers in Sheffield has been approved. The Eurasian beaver, once hunted to extinction in the UK, could play a natural role in reducing the risk of flooding. Blacka Moor and the surrounding Upper Don Catchment are the likeliest places for beavers to be reintroduced for natural flood-risk management, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. More: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-68288709 2 Sheffield Forum | The Sheffield Guide | The Sheffield Shop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Bynnol Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 Are the 'environmentalista' going to turn up and protect the trees from these environmental vandals? Will the far-right turn up to prevent British (Amey) jobs being taken by these slave-wage foreign immigrants? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister M Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 16 minutes ago, Annie Bynnol said: Are the 'environmentalista' going to turn up and protect the trees from these environmental vandals? Will the far-right turn up to prevent British (Amey) jobs being taken by these slave-wage foreign immigrants? Or will someone on here turn up to make a smutty remark about having more beavers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 Whoever turns up, we know that nature will do a far better job at protecting the planet, and preventing floods than mankind will ever do. Bring it on - nature knows best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheffieldForum Posted February 14 Author Share Posted February 14 In my work with local charities, I’ve had a (*very*) small part to play in this news and to say several years and lots of hard work by many people have gone into this is an understatement. It is so exciting to see it moving forward. There are probably a few barriers still, not least the government’s approach to how beavers can be reintroduced, but it’s a fantastic step forward that is very welcome so well done to everybody involved (including the Council, who I know are several people's public enemy number one, but who have genuinely been great with it too!). 1 Sheffield Forum | The Sheffield Guide | The Sheffield Shop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Bloke Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 3 hours ago, SheffieldForum said: A £100,000 pilot project to discover where best to reintroduce wild beavers in Sheffield has been approved. The Eurasian beaver, once hunted to extinction in the UK, could play a natural role in reducing the risk of flooding. Blacka Moor and the surrounding Upper Don Catchment are the likeliest places for beavers to be reintroduced for natural flood-risk management, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. More: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-68288709 Hmmm... Now, I admit that I'm not a particular authority on beavers, but I was always led to believe that their preferred activity was to build dams? In fact, my interweb research has come up with many instances where these workaholic creatures are able to construct massive obstructions overnight. Quote Sheffield City Council said the Eurasian beaver, once hunted to extinction in the UK, could play a role in reducing the risk of flooding. The dams they build could help slow the water coming down from upland areas, the council said. Now this raises a few questions. Aren't beavers well known for their ability to CREATE flooding, NOT reduce it? And if the risk of flooding is a real problem, and we really need to reduce the risk of flooding, then why aren't we doing anything about it at the moment? Are we to believe that SCC have spent all our cash on their other vanity projects and now don't have the funds to employ real "experts" on how to control this matter, so have instead decided to rely on a bunch of unpaid labourers to solve it for us? Maybe they think that these little fellows will just build their dams where SCC tell them they're needed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ads36 Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 3 minutes ago, Mr Bloke said: Aren't beavers well known for their ability to CREATE flooding, NOT reduce it? yes, upstream where no-one cares their dams slow the flow of water after rainfall - which reduces the amount of flooding down-stream, which is where people live. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hackey lad Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 2 hours ago, Mister M said: Or will someone on here turn up to make a smutty remark about having more beavers? Oh bugger 😔 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheffieldForum Posted February 14 Author Share Posted February 14 2 minutes ago, Mr Bloke said: Hmmm... Now, I admit that I'm not a particular authority on beavers, but I was always led to believe that their preferred activity was to build dams? In fact, my interweb research has come up with many instances where these workaholic creatures are able to construct massive obstructions overnight. Now this raises a few questions. Aren't beavers well known for their ability to CREATE flooding, NOT reduce it? And if the risk of flooding is a real problem, and we really need to reduce the risk of flooding, then why aren't we doing anything about it at the moment? Are we to believe that SCC have spent all our cash on their other vanity projects and now don't have the funds to employ real "experts" on how to control this matter, so have instead decided to rely on a bunch of unpaid labourers to solve it for us? Maybe they think that these little fellows will just build their dams where SCC tell them they're needed? Good questions. Indeed, Beaver create dams. Which is valuable in upland areas, where the water can be held and create vital wildlife habitats. During massive downpours (like we've seen which begins to flood the city) in the past that water all flows from upland areas at once - beaver dams (and other interventions) would instead hold that rush of water for a period and 'slow the flow', which reduces the peaks and relieves the waterways downstream in order to allow a steadier, lower stream over a longer period without overflowing and flooding. Why aren't we doing anything about it at the moment? We are! Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust have partnered with the Environment Agency and Sheffield City Council to build a large demonstrator project along the Limb Brook - from Lady Canning's Plantation, through Whirlow Playing Fields and Ecclesall Woods. Using 'Natural Flood Management' interventions, such as 'leaky dams' (i.e. humans replicating what a beaver would do), attenuation ponds (ponds which fill and release water slowly during heavy rainfall), bunds (channeling water through the ladscape on a windy path to slow the flow and directing to specific outlets) and more. 2 Sheffield Forum | The Sheffield Guide | The Sheffield Shop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheffieldForum Posted February 14 Author Share Posted February 14 How a leaky dam works (and how beavers can naturally contribute to flood prevention): 2 Sheffield Forum | The Sheffield Guide | The Sheffield Shop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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