One of the country’s top garden attractions is now home to England’s largest beaver enclosure after a family of the once extinct UK native species was released into the historic landscape.
The Eurasian beavers, two fully grown adults and one kit, will freely roam 182 acres, including a 69-acre ‘pond’, at Staffordshire’s Trentham Gardens, a former showpiece country estate and now one of England’s most visited garden attractions.
A green oasis on the outskirts of Stoke-on-Trent, the 18th century parkland and gardens – designed by Capability Brown – have undergone a huge regeneration programme since re-opening to the public in 2004, including steps to increase biodiversity and re-introduce important species.
And this latest habitat not only makes Trentham the country’s largest enclosure in terms of size, but also offers a chance for visitors to perhaps catch a glimpse of the new arrivals.
Unlike many beaver enclosures to date, footpaths and visitor facilities sit within the site, so the beaver project will provide an important platform to display their benefits to hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
The Eurasian beaver, a large herbivore mammal once a common sight in the UK but hunted to extinction around 400 years ago, played a crucial role in Britain’s wetland landscapes and its decline led to the loss of lakes, meres, mires and boggy places.
Often referred to as ‘ecosystem engineers’, beavers create diverse and dynamic wetlands with their activities and their role in combating climate change is increasingly being recognised.
In a bid to help re-introduce the species, Trentham worked with the Beaver Trust to offer a safe new home for up to four relocated mammals in the new enclosure around the perimeter of the lake and wider Gardens, which will help keep the beavers safe and prevent them from escaping.
The 725-acre Trentham Estate – largely abandoned for 20 years before being restored and re-opened as a visitor attraction in what was later dubbed “the gardens makeover of the decade” – is not only home to the famous Italian Gardens, parkland, lake, adventure playground and sculptures, but also a natural haven for wildlife.
It is also playing a vital role in helping to protect endangered native species, and in summer 2022 hundreds of water voles were released around the Capability Brown designed lake to boost the population and help bring them back from the brink of extinction in Staffordshire.
For more details about Trentham’s beaver enclosure, see
General tourist information on Stoke-on-Trent and The Potteries can be found at www.visitstoke.co.uk.
Photos: The Trentham Estate
