Interesting how the media sometimes gets the wrong end of the stick. Here are a few facts:

The North American beaver (Castor Canadensis) was introduced to Chile and Argentina many years ago, so that hunters and trappers could exploit it for its fur. It proliferated, and is now causing extensive damage to forests. It’s an object lesson in the dangers of introducing non-native species to an area.  According to an ACS (Advanced Conservation Strategies) report, the only way to deal with the problem will be to undertake a massive programme of extermination. This is definitely a newsworthy story worthy of public debate.

So far, so good (or rather quite bad, if you’re a North American beaver residing in Argentina). BUT ……..
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A national first for Lower Mill Estate, on the national news.  If you follow this link, you can watch the Six O’Clock News excerpt from Wednesday 16th July which features film of the first ever beaver kits born in Great Britain for over 400 years.

The film is magical: we commissioned a cameraman to take footage and he was lucky enough - very lucky - to catch two kits at play in the early morning.  For me, it’s a truly momentous event, and it encapsulates a critical aspect of what Lower Mill is all about - creating an environment in which man and wildlife can live harmoniously, side by side.

Nowhere else in the country can offer this kind of experience: I can’t begin to tell you how excited and delighted I am, and I hope other residents here will have the opportunity to see these beautiful creatures working and playing in the estate’s waterways.

If you’re interested in Cowboys and Indians, 21st century style, captured on camera and disseminated to the world via the web, then take a look at what some of the kids from the estate have been getting up to during a bit of down time ….