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Environment Secretary Michael Gove will today help release two beavers back into the Forest of Dean, centuries after the species was driven to extinction in the UK.

Mr Gove will be there to see the beavers released into a small enclosure near the village of Lydbrook in a trial which could see the semi-aquatic mammals brought back across the country.

It is part of a three-year project to assess if releasing the mini lumberjacks into the wild can bring benefits such as creating natural flood defences to protect villages like Lydbrook.

Mr Gove gave the go-ahead some time ago after meetings in the Forest of Dean suggested there would be widespread support for the project, which was launched in March 2017.

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The area is already home to wild boar and wildlife experts are also looking at the re-introduction of species such as pine martens as natural methods of control.

Speaking ahead of today's event, Mr Gove said: “The beaver has a special place in English heritage and the Forest of Dean.

“This release is a fantastic opportunity to develop our understanding of the potential impacts of reintroductions and help this iconic species, 400 years after it was driven to extinction.

“The community of Lydbrook has shown tremendous support for this scheme and the beavers will be a welcome addition to local wildlife.

“The project is an example of our wider approach to enhancing biodiversity. It is another step towards our aim of leaving the environment in a better state for future generations.”

The Eurasian Beaver was once widespread throughout Britain but they were hunted to extinction by the beginning of the 16th Century for their meat, fur and scent glands.

But it was a big loss because beavers create a natural system of dams and pools to slow the flow of water from courses such as the Greathough Brook which starts in Ruardean Hill and flows downhill through a valley and a series of culverts into the River Wye.

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The Forest beavers will live in a 6.5 hectare home on the brook and will be regularly monitored throughout the three-year project.

It is hoped they will build a series of small natural dams to slow rainwater pouring down the steep hillsides and into the village which has been prone to flooding in the past.

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Mr Gove will announce £20,000 of new funding so the trial can help experts based in Devon understand the impact of bringing back one of England’s native species.

Forestry Commission Kevin Stannard said: "Today’s release of beavers is a momentous occasion for the Forest of Dean.

“We are looking forward to seeing the ecological and hydrological benefits the beavers will bring to the Greathough Brook.

“I am proud to have led the Forestry Commission team, and support their commitment to connect people with nature here in the Forest of Dean.”

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Natural England granted Forestry Commission officials a licence to release beavers into the secure site so a team from the University of Exeter can monitor the hydrological and ecological data.

If the scientific data backs up the small scale trials, the Forest could prove the blueprint for reintroductions across the country as a natural method of flood control.

Professor Richard Brazier, a hydrologist from the University of Exeter said: “We have monitored the hydrology of the Greathough Brook for over a year now and shown quite clearly that the brook contributes to the flooding problems experienced in the village of Lydbrook.

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“We now have a unique opportunity to study the impacts of beaver dams on the flood flows from this flashy and flood prone landscape.

“The study will be a valuable and important opportunity to quantify the benefits that beaver dams might deliver and therefore contribute to natural flood management in an upland, wooded catchment".

Rebecca Wilson, head of planning and environment at West England Forest District, Forestry Commission said: “Beavers are natural habitat engineers, restoring complex wetland habitats and providing habitat for declining species whilst slowing the flow of water downstream.

“We are delighted to welcome beavers to the Forest of Dean and are keen to observe the many benefits they will bring to both local communities and the wider Forest of Dean environment.”

The advantages of beavers Build dams when the watercourse is to shallow to afford suitable living habitat Have a positive impact on fish populations by maintaining river levels and water flow and creating new spawning pools. Live in lodges constructed from harvested timber and mud. Lodges are situated on the bank of the watercourse and are entered via an underwater tunnels. Create wetlands which benefit water retention, storage, and water quality by filtering sediments and pollutants and trapping them in dams. Provide opportunities for wildlife watching and wildlife tourism. Beavers may burrow into river banks and earth flood defences, however mitigation measures can be put in place such as using heavy gauge wire to prevent this

But it’s not all about flooding. Beavers are also a ‘keystone species’ which play an important role in creating ecosystems that support plant, insect and mammal species and are known as “ecosystem engineers” for their ability to change their local environment.

Environmentalists are hoping that the reintroduction will mean the Greathough Brook will once again become home to thriving populations of water vole, glow-worms as well as wood white and pearl-bordered fritillary butterflies.

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The coppiced woodland, glades and deadwood provides rich and diverse habitat for an abundance of wildlife including plants, insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.

Funding for the Forest of Dean project was secured in part by grants from The Gloucestershire Environmental Trust and Forest Holidays.

Eurasian beavers do not: Eat fish Have a significant impact on forestry and agriculture. Localised undesirable beaver activity can be resolved by a range of proven methodologies Move far away from freshwater preferring to stay within 30 metres of ponds or watercourses Carry any wildlife diseases which aren’t already present in the UK or are commonly transmissible to humans or domesticated livestock

In the past some members of the farming and fishing communities have raised concerns, but these have been dismissed.