Beavers are known as ‘ecosystem engineers’.
They dig burrows and channels, fell trees and build lodges and dams, helping to restore wetland areas and connectivity between waterways benefitting a multitude of species.
Beavers can:
improve water quality
reduce the risk of flooding and drought
increase biodiversity
create more resilient landscapes to reduce the impact of climate change
Although much of their activity is positive for the environment, beavers may need to be managed to address issues that could result from their activity.
Find out more about the Western Sussex Rivers Trust’s position on beavers here.
Beavers in the Western Rother
In 2025, Natural England announced the wild release of beavers was to be permitted under licence. Locally, applications for a licence to release beavers into the wild are being developed for multiple rivers in Sussex, including the Western Rother and the Adur.
The Western Rother Beaver Group has been established with 15 organisations represented. They are now developing an application for a licence from Natural England, which includes gathering the required evidence and resources:
suitability of catchment
robust mitigation & management plans
programme of engagement with farmers, landowners, fishing groups, key stakeholders, local community
securing funding for potential Beaver Project Officer
Application for a licence: The licence application will be submitted towards the end of 2026 or start of 2027. If this is successful, a Beaver Project Officer will be recruited. They will manage the releases and any potential impacts caused. They will be the main point of contact for landowners and the local community. Beavers could then be released from late 2027 or early 2028.
Zoned approach: the proposed release zone will be the Western Rother Catchment. Levels of management, mitigation and engagement will take place across the area and beyond into other catchments, including the Upper and Lower Arun.
Managing impacts: If and when beavers are reintroduced, trained members of the Group and licenced landowners will follow national guidance for mitigation & management of beavers across all zones:
Find out more about the Western Rother Beaver Group and have your say about beavers returning to the Western Rother here.
