The study Rewilding with the beaver in the Iberian peninsula- Economic potential for river restoration authored by Daniel Veríssimo and Catarina Roseta-Palma from Economics Research Group, has just been published in the scientific journal Nature Based Solutions.
This paper started from the analysis of the program of recuperation of rivers and streams developed by the Portuguese Environmental Agency (APA). This program, costing approximately 12 million euros, included many interventions that could be done in an equivalent manner by beaver free of cost, such as smoothing the banks of streams, creating small dams with branches, promoting seed dispersal, or even controlling invasive species.
The beaver is a herbivore that feeds exclusively on grasses, leaves, aquatic plants and tree bark. It is a native species of Portugal and Spain, but became extinct in the 16th century due to hunting and habitat loss. It has been returning to various locations in Europe and is already present in the Iberian Peninsula, on the Ebro River and the Spanish side of the Douro and Tagus Rivers, but remains extinct in Portugal.
Beaver reintroduction is a natural-based solution for ecosystem restoration, which is essential to adapt the landscape to climate change, reverse biodiversity loss, and reduce pollution problems. The UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030 and the EU Biodiversity Strategy highlight the importance of this approach.
It is therefore essential to find “cost-effective” solutions for ecosystem restoration: instead of replacing natural processes with human interventions, the functions that ensure that the ecosystem can regulate itself should be restored. A restored ecosystem will not need repeated restoration actions over time.
The beaver, being a key species, plays a unique role in riparian ecosystems. By building small natural dams (with branches, stones, and silt), channels along streams and creeks, and cutting vegetation on the banks, the beaver creates and maintains a wide variety of habitats that benefit many other species.
The study in question does not account for all the potential benefits, but lists several advantages that the possible return of the beaver can bring to Portugal, such as reducing the impact of forest fires, storing water in the landscape and regulating flood flows. New opportunities for nature tourism in rural areas can also be expected.
