Could beavers hold key to tackling major UK environmental issue?

Beavers may be able to help the fight against one of the UK’s most pressing environmental issues, a new study has shown.

The research, carried out by Liverpool University between 2020 to 2024, found that beavers were able to keep water levels consistent during the 2022 drought – making areas more resistant to hotter and drier conditions.

Carried out in partnership with Cheshire Wildlife Trust, the study looked at the impact of the Cheshire Beaver Project, which reintroduced beavers into the main inflow to Hatch Mere in Frodsham in 2020.

Dr Melanie Baker, the author of the research, said: ‘The site remained more resilient during drought conditions, which may become increasingly significant as climate change increases the frequency of extreme weather events.’

She added that the findings suggest beavers provide a ‘valuable nature-based solution’ for the restoration of peatlands, adding weight to the argument that beavers should be reintroduced into the wild instead of enclosures.

Peatlands are among the UK’s most important habitats, storing vast amounts of carbon and supporting a rich variety of wildlife and combatting the impacts of climate change.

Before the beavers moved back in, many of the peatlands had degraded over time, making them more susceptible to drought and limiting the amount of carbon they can store.

The research found water levels increased up to 37 times following the arrival of the beavers and water levels in beaver ponds tripled.

Water levels remained above pre-beaver conditions throughout the 2022 drought period, while neighboring sites without beavers experienced much larger declines.

Gareth Longden, a member of the project run by the Cheshire Wildlife Trust, said: ‘Not only do we have this amazing pond that they have created, all of that water is also being soaked up by the peat body underneath which helps lock up the carbon.

‘It helps keep water in the landscape and after the seemingly continuous drought that we have had all year.

‘This is one of the few areas that has remained really wet.’

The UK has had its fair share of drought in recent years, including over the course of the study.

July 2022 was declared the driest month in England since 1935 by the Met Office, offset by long periods of hot, dry weather.

Hosepipe bans across parts of South England, Kent and the West Midlands were introduced. A ban in Cornwall remaining active until Spring 2023 to help replenish water levels ahead of that year’s summer.

In 2026, the UK experienced a record number of heatwaves between May and August. The Met Office reported there were 55 days above 28°C and 40 days above 30°C during the summer months.

It was estimated that 2,200 heat-related deaths took place between 18 and 28 June and at least five people died in water-related incidents during the heatwaves.

In July 2026, the Environment Agency officially declared a drought in parts of England, affecting 82% of the country, including Devon, Cornwall and Dorset. It escalated to a ‘severe drought’ in October 2026 and hosepipe bans across the country remain in full effect.

Longden said beavers can create challenges around flooding, as they fell trees that have particular wildlife value, but added that working with beavers often had greater benefits than negatives in the long run.

In London, a family of Eurasian beavers were released into a 10-hectare fenced urban wetland site in Ealing October 2023.

They have been credited for preventing the flooding of the Paradise Fields for three years in a row since they were re-introduced to the wetland site in Ealing.

Last year the government announced that beavers could be released into the wild in England – as part of licensed projects.

The findings from Liverpool University come after the UK experienced a series of record-breaking heatwaves this summer with the Met Office reporting summer 2026 was the hottest on record.