Question 1
Do you agree with the re-introduction policy and that the Environmental Report has correctly identified the potential impacts and appropriate mitigation?
-Yes ✔
-No
-Unsure
Please explain your answer
We strongly agree that beaver populations in Scotland should be allowed to remain,and that beavers should receive strong legal protection.
Beaver bring many benefits such as flood risk reduction, improved water quality and increased biodiversity.
In addition their presence has socio-economic benefits (such as ecotourism potential)
Beavers should be actively managed to reduce any negative effects on farmers, but culling should only ever be a very last resort after all other mitigation methods have been exhausted
Question 2.
What are your views on the evidence set out in the Environmental Report that has been used to inform the assessment process?
-Very positive
-Positive ✔
-Neutral
-Negative
-Very Negative
Please give details of additional relevant sources:
The evidence contained Environmental Report is generally detailed and thorough.
Question 3
What are your views on the predicted environmental effects as set out in the Environmental Report? See page 15 and Section 4
-Very positive
-Positive ✔
-Neutral
-Negative
-Very Negative
Please explain your answer
The report’s findings on the predicted environmental effects of beaver reintroduction are generally comprehensive and well reasoned.
Question 4
Are there any other environmental effects that have not been considered?
The creation of riparian buffer zones (involving beaver dams) could potentially provide a critical solution to combatting agricultural run-off pollution in intensively farmed areas.
Question 5
Please provide any other comments you have on the environmental report
The environmental Report has correctly identified the the potential impacts and appropriate mitigation – but it will be critical to see how the identified mitigation measures are implemented in practice, that sufficient funding is made available for beaver management, and that any evidence of wildlife crime involving beavers is swiftly investigated and prosecuted.