Beaver Trust Partnership: A Wild Encounter
Beavers are back in England, and we couldn’t be more excited. These industrious ecosystem engineers have been shaping landscapes for millennia, and after years of influencing, licensed wild beaver releases are finally allowed in England - no enclosures required. It’s a game-changer for rewilding.
And to celebrate, we’re thrilled to announce our partnership with Beaver Trust, donating 10% of the sale price from all our beaver-themed designs to support their work.
A beaver spotted on the Stour by our buddy © Andy Green
The Rise, Fall, and Return of Beavers
Once, beavers thrived across Britain’s rivers and wetlands. But by the 16th century, they had been hunted to extinction, their numbers dwindling due to the demand for their fur, meat, and castoreum (a secretion used in perfumes and medicines). For hundreds of years, our landscapes have been without their natural dam-builders, and the wetlands they once maintained disappeared. Without beavers, many species that depended on their habitats also struggled.
Now, after successful reintroductions in Scotland and trial projects in England, beavers are making a long-overdue comeback. Their return is one of the most exciting wildlife recoveries in recent history - bringing life back to our waterways.
One of my favourite photos from our kayak/canoe trips
Why Beavers Matter
Beavers are a keystone species, meaning they have an outsized impact on their environment. By felling trees and building dams, they create wetlands, ponds, and slow-flowing streams - perfect for an incredible variety of wildlife.
- Amphibians like frogs and newts thrive in beaver ponds, where the water is shallow and rich in insect life.
- Fish populations benefit from improved water quality and the shelter beaver-created pools provide.
- Otters and water voles find safe spaces to live and feed in beaver-altered landscapes.
- Birds, from kingfishers to herons, are drawn to the diverse habitats created by beavers.
- Insects flourish in the wetlands, providing a crucial food source for bats and other species.
Their impact goes beyond wildlife - beaver wetlands store water in times of drought, reduce flooding downstream, and filter out pollutants, making our rivers healthier for all. When we let beavers thrive, biodiversity follows.
A cheeky little river selfie from one of our trip
A Wild Encounter on the Stour
One afternoon in 2019, while kayaking on the River Stour in Kent with some friends, we took a break on the riverbank to relax. I saw a little brown furry head poking above the water, swimming calmly along on the other side of the river. I said to my friends, “very slowly.. turn around and look over there” and we all stood, transfixed, watching this mysterious creature who hadn’t noticed us peacefully swim along.
None of us knew exactly what it was, and we’d left our phones in our kayaks so none of us were able to take a photo or video, so we took in as much as we could about its appearance - the placement & angle of its ears, its eyes and nose - until it disappeared under the water.
We spent much of that evening looking up photos of beavers & otters, cross-referencing from our memories to try and figure out exactly what it was, until we finally settled on the consensus that we’d seen a beaver!
We later learned that this beaver was one of a number living wild in Kent - and incidentally, our new pal and contributor Andy Green recently photographed some, which you can see here!
Many of Kent’s marshes and fens aren’t in good health (like Cliffe Pools, the RSPB reserve I grew up next to), so having beavers in the vicinity helping to transform the landscape and boost biodiversity makes this a really exciting time!
Seeing one of these beavers out in the wild was an incredible reminder of how resilient and resourceful they are, and helped pave the way to us launching Rewild at Heart.
Me in my office, taking a break from working on a new design to be incredibly photogenic © Leigh Woods
Supporting the Future of Beavers
With rewilding gaining momentum, we have a chance to restore beavers across Britain. That’s why we’ve teamed up with Beaver Trust, who are working tirelessly to support wild beaver populations and help people coexist with them. Every purchase from our beaver collection directly funds their work - helping more beavers return to our rivers and wetlands.
Join us in celebrating the return of beavers. Shop the collection, support rewilding, and be part of the change.
