Reintroducing beavers to an area of eastern England, has successfully reduced the impact of flooding and drought while capturing the local community's heart.

Five years ago, Spains Hall Estate in Braintree, Essex, and the Environment Agency, released the first pair of beavers in East Anglia for more than 400 years. Now the beavers are a family of 11 and have created nine dams, estimated to store three million litres of water - positively altering the flow of water across the farm and alleviating low river water levels in summer.

The beavers are famously ecosystem engineers and their activities have also created diverse and thriving new habitats for various wildlife species in the area, including plants, insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds and other mammals.

Using data collected by Kings College London, researchers could see how the beavers increasingly built bigger dams over the years, which can trap more water every time it rains. These changes mean water flows downstream more slowly, with some even held for several months as it slowly releases back into the river- helping reduce the risk of both flooding and low river water levels in the summer months.

"We are delighted that the beavers have thrived and improved the landscape. Their work has demonstrated that nature-based solutions can be used to tackle challenges in smaller river catchments," said Matt Butcher, Environment Agency catchment manager. "We initially supported this work as a pilot study and have been really impressed with the results.

"We have since helped the estate scale-up their beaver activity through more direct support, along with other partners. This has enabled the construction of two much larger beaver enclosures."

What are nature-based solutions?

Tackling major challenges does not always require scientific or technological breakthroughs, sometimes the most effective solutions can be found within our natural environment.

Unlike many engineered solutions, nature-based solutions can potentially address both climate change mitigation and adaptation, while offering additional benefits to humans and nature.

For example, restoring a natural forest in the upper reaches of an area can help protect nearby communities downstream from flooding, improve water quality and help improve biodiversity. Meanwhile, planting trees in cities to contributes to city cooling and flood control, while storing carbon, reducing air pollution, and providing recreational and health benefits.

The success of Spain's Hall Estate beaver family demonstrates that nature-based solutions can bring unexpected benefits, as local residents have truly embraced the beavers! People love what these busy creatures are doing for the environment.

"This is a massive milestone for us. We took a chance five years ago that bringing beavers back would be beneficial, and it’s proven to be better than we could ever have imagined," said Archie Ruggles-Brise.

"Locally, there is widespread support for the beavers and their work, with the community really taking them to their heart. You can even find beaver greetings cards, beaver beer and beaver themes on local menus!"