Guidance

Beavers: managing beaver activities in England

How to manage beaver activities on your land without a licence and when you need a licence.

From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Natural England
Published
28 February 2025

Applies to England

Eurasian beavers are a European protected species. The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (the ‘Habitats Regulations’) protect beavers and the places they use for breeding and shelter. This includes their burrows, lodges and dams. 

Beavers will not usually cause problems. If you need to manage beaver activities, there are ways to do this without a licence (see steps 1 to 3). However, you must have a licence for certain activities that affect beavers or their breeding and resting places (see steps 4 and 5).

It is against the law to:  

  • deliberately injure, kill, capture or disturb beavers
  • damage or destroy a beaver breeding site or resting place such as a burrow, lodge, or a dam associated with a burrow or lodge
  • keep a beaver or parts of a beaver taken from the wild
  • possess or transport a beaver
  • sell or exchange, or offer a beaver for sale or exchange

Benefits and impacts of beaver activities 

Beavers can be beneficial to the environment, for example by: 

  • improving water quality
  • reducing the risk of flooding and drought
  • increasing biodiversity
  • creating more resilient landscapes to reduce the impact of climate change

However, beavers also dig burrows into the banks of waterbodies (for example, a lake, river or stream), flood embankments, fell trees, and build lodges and dams, which may cause: 

  • flooding to adjacent land
  • injury to livestock
  • damage to crops, infrastructure, property, or machinery

This guidance explains how you can manage beaver activity using the 5-step approach if you need to mitigate their impact.

If you are not sure whether you have beavers on your land, you can read about signs of beavers on your land. 

Managing beaver activities – a 5-step approach 

When you need to manage beaver activities, you should work through these 5 solutions in order.  

Only move onto the next solution if the one before has not resolved the situation.  

  1. Contact local beaver management groups and other experts for advice.

  2. Make space for beavers.

  3. Manage beavers with actions that do not require a licence.

  4. Manage beavers with lower impact actions that require a licence.

  5. Get help for higher impact actions that require a licence.

Each of the 5 steps are explained in more detail in the following sections.

Step 1: Contact local beaver management groups and other experts for advice

There may be a beaver management group, other experts, or a local beaver officer in your area who can give advice on how to manage the challenges of beavers on your land.

Find contact details for active groups in your area of England on the Beaver Management Group website.  

They may be able to: 

  • help you to assess beaver activity
  • carry out beaver activity assessments for you
  • give advice on whether you need to intervene with the beaver activity
  • help you choose the most appropriate and effective management actions

You can also contact Natural England for advice or to find other experts in your area. 

Natural England

Phone: 0300 060 3900

Email: enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk 

Step 2: Make space for beavers 

If your land includes, or is close to, a river, stream, pond or lake, it is recommended that you make a natural space for beavers. This may avoid the need for further action.

Beaver activity usually stays within 10 to 20 metres (m) of the water’s edge. You could leave sufficient space around the waterway for the beavers to use. This approach may reduce the chance of beavers moving to other areas of your land. 

You can plant native tree species such as aspen and willow in this area. The roots of trees and other plants add support to the bank structure where beavers burrow and create channels. Native trees will require little maintenance after planting and will help to reduce road and agricultural run-off and increase biodiversity. 

You should take into account nearby vulnerable infrastructure and potential beaver impacts when making natural space for beavers next to watercourses. This could include carrying out a risk assessment to inform decision-making and identify any preventative measures or monitoring needed.

Infrastructure can include rights of way, railways, public utilities and flood risk management. 

Step 3: Manage beavers with actions that do not require a licence 

You can continue to carry out normal land management activities like ploughing and cultivating if you have beavers on your land. 

However, you must not damage or destroy a burrow, lodge or a dam associated with a burrow or lodge while carrying out land management activities. 

Before you use heavy machinery near beaver features, check your land for: 

  • felled trees or stumps hidden in the vegetation
  • lodges that could suggest there are burrows below ground that could make the ground unstable
  • partially collapsed burrows

Place flags 5m from signs of beaver activity to signpost the presence of these features.

If beavers could affect your property or business, and steps 1 and 2 have not resolved the situation, there are ways you can manage beaver activity without needing a licence from Natural England. 

You can take preventative action such as:

  • installing fencing
  • temporarily using electric fences (only for temporary protection of crops or for use in an emergency)
  • using scarers
  • protecting trees
  • using textured tree paint

You can also mitigate the effects of beavers by:

  • removing destroyed dam material that causes a flood risk
  • removing damaged burrows if they are unusable and this affects a neighbouring property, increases flood risk, or affects infrastructure
  • filling in beaver channels if they are increasing the risk of bank erosion to a neighbouring property, increasing flood risk, or posing a risk to infrastructure, livestock or machinery

Install fencing 

Fencing is a long-term action to protect your property from beaver activity. 

Fences near rivers and streams can increase flood risk, so you may need to get permission from the appropriate risk management authority.

You must not use fencing to trap beavers in a certain area, because it is an offence to capture beavers. You should only use fencing to protect vulnerable structures or certain areas of your land. 

To stop beavers from digging under, climbing over, or gnawing through the fence, make sure it: 

  • is made of galvanised welded mesh or thick stock net fencing with a mesh size no bigger than 10cm by 10cm
  • is at least 1.2m high above the ground
  • is attached to posts that extend 60cm into the ground and are located on the inside of the fence
  • has the mesh or net buried at least 30cm underground, where possible
  • has 45cm of mesh securely pegged down onto the ground towards the body of water
  • has a 30cm overhang towards the body of water

You may want to seek site-specific advice before installing fencing. 

You can apply for a Countryside Stewardship grant to help you pay for fencing where there are permanent crops. 

The fence requirements in this guidance are different to those on the Countryside Stewardship grant page. This is because the grant requirements are based on those used for other species. The Rural Payments Agency will update the grant requirements in due course. 

Temporarily use electric fences for protection of crops or emergency

You must take care using electric fencing. Electric fencing can injure and kill beavers and other animals. Beavers have been known to bite electric fencing and be electrocuted.

You must not use electric fencing as a way of retaining beavers.

You should only use temporary electric fencing as a deterrent for beavers in the following limited circumstances:

  • to protect vulnerable crops for up to 3 months
  • to protect property in an emergency for up to 4 weeks while you find a permanent solution

If you use an electric fence, you must: 

  • make sure it meets British and European safety standards
  • remove the fence if there is a risk of flooding

To build an effective electric fence that keeps beavers out while minimising the risk of harm, use: 

  • a strained-wire electric fence – using tape instead of plain wire where possible
  • 75cm high posts designed for an electric fence
  • fence posts up to 5m apart – put them closer together on uneven ground
  • 3 electrified parallel tapes or wires that are 15cm to 20cm from the ground and each other
  • an energiser that is battery or solar-powered, at a maximum of 2,000 or 3,000 volts

The lower fence wire must not touch the ground and should be 15cm to 20cm above ground. 

If the wire crosses a worn beaver trail, beavers will try to go under the wire. If you need to place an electric fence across an existing beaver trail, you should put: 

  • a post in the middle of the trail
  • the lowest wire as close to the ground as possible without touching it

Use scarers 

Scarer devices have not been shown to be effective as a beaver deterrent. They may also be unlawful if they disturb beavers or other protected species in a way that reduces their ability to survive or breed.

If scarers are used, they must be removed as soon as they stop being effective or are decommissioned.

Protect trees

Beavers use trees as food and building materials for lodges and dams. 

You should not remove trees to prevent beaver activity because it usually does not work, as beavers also eat other plants and shrubs. It can trigger more activity as a response.

It can also make banks of waterbodies more likely to collapse, reduce wider environmental benefits, and may harm other wildlife.

Use tree guards to protect trees from beavers. To make them effective, you should: 

  • install them at the base of the tree
  • use galvanised welded mesh
  • make them at least 1m high
  • use a maximum mesh size of 2.5cm by 5cm
  • allow at least 15cm between the trunk and the mesh for trees to grow
  • cover any exposed roots

You can apply for a Countryside Stewardship grant to help you pay for tree guards. 

The tree guard requirements in this guidance are different to the ones on the Countryside Stewardship grant page. This is because the grant requirements are based on those used for other species. The Rural Payments Agency will update the grant requirements in due course. 

Use textured tree paint 

Use this method if you cannot use tree guards. 

You can protect vulnerable trees by coating the tree trunks with a mix of sand or grit, and a non-toxic, weather-proof paint. Mix around 140g of sand with each litre of liquid to make a thick, abrasive mixture to apply to the tree. 

The coating must not contain fungicides or any other chemical that could harm the environment. Check the information on the product specification sheet. 

To make sure the textured coating is effective, you should: 

  • apply it to the trunk and buttress of the tree from the base up to at least 1.2m
  • monitor the applications, you might need to reapply the paint each year

You must not apply textured coating if the tree is close to a body of water and there is a risk of contamination. 

Remove trees felled by beavers 

You don’t need a licence to remove trees that beavers have felled, but doing so may increase the chance of beavers felling more trees for food and building materials. 

Felled trees that are left in-stream are good for biodiversity and form a natural part of the river system.

Remove a beaver dam

You can modify or remove a dam without a licence if: 

  • beavers have been building the dam for less than 2 weeks
  • the dam is over 2 weeks old, and you have evidence that it is not associated with a burrow or lodge

It may not be possible to tell if a burrow or lodge will be affected by removing the dam. This is because the entrances to these structures may only be visible where the water is clear and there is no obstructing vegetation. If you are not certain, you should get expert advice or apply for a licence. 

If you need to remove a dam to prevent damage, make sure you completely remove it, including all foundation sediment and stones. You should be able to remove a new beaver dam with hand tools, such as a rake or pitchfork with curved prongs. It may be appropriate in limited situations to use machinery. 

During the fish spawning period, from 1 October to 15 June, you should:

  • avoid tracking machinery in the water course because it can damage fish spawning habitat
  • take care when removing a dam, by doing this slowly and gradually to avoid releasing sediment downstream which could smother spawning gravels

Place any dam material you remove on the bank away from the water. 

You might need to repeat the removal if beavers start to rebuild the dam. 

Remove destroyed dam material that causes a flood risk

If heavy rainfall destroys a dam, only remove the dam material if it is:

  • causing damage
  • a flood risk
  • a hazard to river users or infrastructure

Otherwise, leave the material in the water, as it is good for the environment and a natural part of river systems. 

Remove unusable burrows

An unusable burrow is usually disused or collapsed. You can only remove a beaver burrow without a licence if you are sure that the burrow is damaged to a point where it is no longer usable by beavers. 

Before you can remove an unusable burrow, you must: 

  • check if the burrow is useable
  • take photo and video evidence of your findings
  • check if other protected species are using it, such as otters

If you think an otter is using the burrow or lodge, it is then protected as an otter holt and you will need to apply for a mitigation licence to remove it. 

Recognising an unusable burrow 

If the roof has collapsed completely, exposing or blocking all the tunnels and chambers, beavers are unlikely to be using the burrow. 

If only part of the roof has collapsed, beavers could still be using other chambers in the burrow. Beavers may repair a partial collapse. 

Beavers or other protected species are probably still using the burrow if you see: 

  • recent food fragments
  • fresh bedding
  • recent tracks or
  • fresh digging

Contact Natural England or a beaver expert if you are not sure if the burrow is unusable. 

Natural England 

Phone: 0300 060 3900 

Email: enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk

How to remove an unusable burrow 

You can remove an unusable burrow by infilling it if necessary. You should only do this if it affects a neighbouring property, might harm people or livestock, increases flood risk, affects erosion, or affects infrastructure.

You should first excavate as much of the burrow as possible to prevent further collapses which may harm livestock or machinery.

Infill using materials that are not harmful to beavers and the environment and comply with relevant permissions. After you have infilled an unusable burrow, you can encourage natural vegetation to establish.

In certain situations, the use of coir matting may be appropriate to protect the face of a bank.

Fill in beaver channels

You can infill beaver channels without a licence if infilling them will not affect a burrow or lodge. 

You should only infill beaver channels if they are increasing the risk of bank erosion to an adjacent property, increasing flood risk, or posing a risk to infrastructure, livestock or machinery. 

How to fill in beaver-made channels 

You should infill and protect the channel from further beaver activity, and must make sure the infill material does not wash into the river, drain or other watercourses. 

You should let natural plant growth cover the spot. If there are invasive non-native species nearby, you should sow a native seed mix over the area instead. 

Infill using materials that are not harmful to beavers and the environment and comply with relevant permissions.

In certain situations, the use of coir matting may be appropriate to protect the face of a bank.

You must have the relevant permissions from the appropriate risk management authority if you are carrying out certain activities in or near a body of water. You should refer to the section ‘Other permissions and compliance.’

Step 4: Manage beavers with lower impact actions that require a licence 

You should only consider these solutions if the other lower risk options to manage beaver activity - steps 1 to 3 in the 5-step approach - are unsuitable or unsuccessful.   

When you need a licence

Works that affect beaver dams, burrows and lodges are best carried out between 1 September and 28 February inclusive. This is to avoid the beaver breeding season. Works outside these dates should only be carried out if the problem is urgent and cannot wait - see step 5.

You must have a beaver licence to carry out the following activities outside of the beaver breeding season:

  • modify or remove a burrow or lodge
  • modify or remove a dam that is associated with a burrow or lodge, including to allow for fish passage
  • remove a food cache where it is joined to a lodge

You could get a 6-month prison sentence or an unlimited fine if you carry out these actions without a licence.

These works should be carried out in accordance with the terms and conditions of the relevant licence and any published best practice.

You must have one of these licences to undertake lower impact activities outside of the beaver breeding season:

You must have the relevant permissions from the appropriate risk management authority if you are carrying out certain activities in or near a body of water. You should refer to the section ‘Other permissions and compliance.’

You may be able to get an Expert dam management grant (BC5) to help you pay for dam management.

Step 5: Help for higher impact actions that require a licence

Managing beaver dams, burrows and lodges during the beaver breeding season (between 1 March and 31 August inclusive) is a last resort. This should only be done if there is an urgent risk of damage to property, livelihoods or to public health and safety.

Only trained people, registered to use licences CL50 or CL51, may carry out the following activities within the beaver breeding season (1 March to 31 August inclusive):

  • modify or remove a burrow or lodge
  • modify or remove a dam that is associated with a burrow or lodge, including to allow for fish passage
  • remove a food cache where it is joined to a lodge

If you need to carry out the above activities during the beaver breeding season, you should contact CL50 and CL51 licence holders through Natural England, or speak to your local beaver management group.

In rare circumstances it may be necessary to:

  • trap and translocate a beaver
  • kill a beaver

Trapping and translocating can only be carried out by CL50 licence holders or someone with an individual licence.

Killing a beaver requires an individual licence and you will need to contact wildlife licensing at wildlife.scicons@naturalengland.org.uk for further details.

Contact and further help

Natural England 

Call Natural England’s enquiry line if you have questions about beaver activity on your land. They can direct you to the most appropriate advice. 

Phone: 0300 060 3900 

Email: enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk 

Beaver experts 

There may be a beaver management group, other experts or a local beaver officer in your area who can help you with beavers on your land. They may be able to: 

  • help you to assess beaver activity
  • carry out beaver activity assessments for you
  • give advice on whether you need to intervene with the beaver activity
  • help you choose the most appropriate and effective management actions

Contact Natural England to find out if you have beaver experts in your area. 

Beaver Management website  

Visit the Beaver Management website for:

  • contact information for local beaver management groups
  • more ways to manage beaver activity – you may need to get an environmental permit before you use these techniques

Other permissions and compliance

You will need to ensure compliance with other legislation, and you might need to get permission from the competent authority to undertake certain activities.

Releasing captured beavers for management purposes

You must have a licence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to:

Beaver welfare

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 makes it an offence to use any trap or snare for the purpose of killing, taking, or restraining beavers. It is also an offence to set a trap or snare in place to cause injury to a beaver.

The Animal Welfare Act 2006 protects beavers from ‘unnecessary suffering’ while they are ‘under the control of man’ or not living in a wild state.

The Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996 protects wild beavers from cruel treatment. This includes acts such as mutilation, beating, impaling or drowning.

Environmental permissions

You may need permissions from environmental regulators for some beaver management activities in bodies of water, or near flood risk management structures. This is to comply with the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016 and Land Drainage Act 1991.

Risk management authorities regulate activities in rivers, in riparian zones, on floodplains, and near and on flood risk management structures.

The type of permit or consent you need will depend on the type of activity you plan to undertake, and whether it is on a main river or an ordinary watercourse.  

Your actions must not increase flood risk of flooding or erosion to other people’s property or land, either directly or by impacting other sources of flooding.

You should:

Protected sites  

If your land is part of a protected site, you may need to get separate consent from Natural England before you can carry out work to manage beavers.  

Check if your land is part of a protected site.

If your land is part of a site of special scientific interest (SSSI), find out how to get consent for your activity from Natural England

If the SSSI is also a European site, Natural England will complete a habitats regulations assessment before they give consent. This makes sure there will be no negative effects on the site.  

Fish migration and spawning grounds

You must comply with the objectives of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 when carrying out your management activities. The legislation prevents man-made obstructions to fish migration and protects against disturbance of spawning grounds.

Beaver dams have the potential to limit fish passage. Leaving a beaver dam in place may push water around the sides of the dam, which can create new passage routes for fish. You should leave the dam in place, if possible, modified only by the minimum amount required to create fish passage.  

If a dam is associated with a burrow or lodge and is likely to restrict fish passage, you will need a beaver management licence to modify the dam if it is more than 14 days old. Dams can be modified by notching or lowering the crest height.

Only consider modifying the dam if fish:  

  • need to pass the dam to spawn or complete their lifecycle
  • cannot pass over the dam under the site flow conditions
  • cannot pass around the dam because there is no space for water to flow around the dam
  • cannot pass under or through the dam

If your actions to manage beaver activity cause an obstruction to fish migration, you will need to find a way to allow fish to pass the structure. 

Take care not to disturb, damage or smother spawning grounds when modifying a dam, or undertaking any other beaver management activity.

Updates to this page

Published 28 February 2025

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