7. Statement by the Minister for Climate Change: Biodiversity

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:27 pm on 10 January 2023.

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Photo of Carolyn Thomas Carolyn Thomas Labour 6:27, 10 January 2023

I'd like to commend all that you do and the priority that's given to nature and biodiversity in Wales. It's really heart-warming. I'd just like to talk about nature-based solutions regarding flooding, the attenuation of water, and beavers. So, Eurasian beavers are native to Wales, to Britain, and have been living wild in Wales since 2013. I know somebody has introduced one quite locally to me that has been caught on camera. Recent evidence has shown that beavers are now breeding in the wild, most notably in the Dyfi catchment. They provide ecological, environmental and economic benefits. However, the protection that beavers in Wales are offered is patchy and doesn't adequately protect them from persecution nor does it enable their effective management. As the UK is a signatory to the Bern convention, it would seem that Wales now has a legal duty to protect beavers as well under that convention, and this has been acknowledged in England and Scotland, where beavers are now protected. So, I was wondering what steps is the Welsh Government considering to ensure the protection and effective management of beavers, and will NRW be directed to assist with the successful re-establishment of them in Wales and your thoughts on that. Thank you.