In this week's Cumbria Wildlife Trust column we hear about a fascinating development in our local animal kingdom that has meant the return of a fondly held creature to these climbs following an absence of half a millennia.

Alasdair McKee of the Wildlife Trust tells the story of how our region came to lose these beloved animals in this enlightening and entertaining history that traces their former place in Cumbrian life and their long-awaited reintegration.

There has just seen a big Cumbrian comeback for our wildlife. After an absence of nearly 500 years, beavers are now living in the county again. We probably associate beavers more with Canada than Carlisle, but the European cousin of the North American beaver lived in Britain until the early 1500s. It was hunted to extinction for its thick fur and castoreum, a scented secretion that beavers use to mark their territory.

This was used as an ingredient in perfumes. Each to their own.

It wasn’t just in Britain that they were wiped out. Eurasian beavers were once found right across Europe and all the way to China. By the start of the 20th century only about 1,200 survived. The population has been reviving slowly, helped by reintroduction programmes like this latest one in Cumbria.

Two beavers have been released into a 27 acre enclosure on the Lowther Estate near Penrith. The male is called Glen and the female is Dragonfly. That may seem a funny name for a beaver, but it’s very appropriate. Dragonflies are just one of many creatures that could benefit from this experiment.

Busy beavers are famous for their tree felling and dam building skills which produce many environmental benefits. The dams create pools and wetlands that provide a home for birds, otters and water voles, as well as safe havens for fish. Dams slow the waterflow and control the amount of silt, reducing the flooding risk downstream, while also filtering out harmful chemicals.

Beavers are large rodents. They are vegetarians and eat a variety of plants, including tree bark. They nibble their way around the woods, creating coppice, a kind of managed woodland where the trees are left alive and throw out many new branches and leaves. This creates space for bats and butterflies and also produces nice thick undergrowth for birds to use as shelter.

Reintroducing a species like this must be done carefully so we fully understand the impact. That is why the beavers are in an enclosure, albeit a large one. Other schemes in the UK have proved very successful, with beavers having very positive environmental effects, not just for wildlife, but for people too where their ability to help reduce flooding is proving very valuable. If the Lowther experiment is a success, we could soon be seeing more of them around the county. Just watch out when you hear them shout, “Timber!!”

Cumbria Wildlife Trust is the only voluntary organisation devoted solely to the conservation of the wildlife and wildplaces of Cumbria. The Trust stands up for wildlife, creates wildlife havens, and seeks to raise environmental awareness.

Make sure to find out more online if you cannot wait until next week's issue!

Follow the Cumbria Beaver Group (CBG) on Twitter @CumbriaBeavers or email any questions about beavers to info@cumbriabeavers.org.uk