Scottish nature agency NatureScot has granted an official release licence to conservation charities Trees for Life and the Beaver Trust, approving the Ness Beaver Project to return wild beavers to the Loch Ness catchment for the first time in roughly 500 years.

Under the plan, up to 15 beaver family groups will be released into suitable waterways across the River Ness catchment over three years, with the first releases possible within weeks and expected before the end of the year.

Jenny Bryce, beaver team manager at NatureScot, called the return "great progress for Scotland's Beaver Strategy, bringing benefits for nature, climate and people."

Eurasian beavers were hunted to extinction in Scotland during the 16th century, pursued for their fur, meat and castoreum, a substance used in perfumes.

Their disappearance changed the region's rivers: the natural wetlands beavers once maintained had supported native fish, birds and water plants for thousands of years. Beavers became a protected species in Scotland in 2019, allowing approved relocation instead of lethal control.

NatureScot approved the releases after detailed environmental checks and consultation with local landowners, farmers and Highland communities, having identified the Loch Ness catchment in 2022 as one of Scotland's most suitable beaver homes because of its large network of waterways.

The first stage targets locations between Fort Augustus and Lochend, and every beaver will undergo strict health checks before being moved. The BBC reports the animals will be trapped and taken from areas where they negatively affect prime agricultural land and mitigation has failed.

NatureScot's Robbie Kernahan said beavers create ponds and wetlands where other species thrive and moderate water flows in flood and scarcity.

Because dam-building and tree-felling can clash with farming and forestry, project teams consulted communities before approval, and Trees for Life has appointed dedicated beaver management officers to work with local farmers and property owners.

Under NatureScot's support scheme, landowners can get protective tree wraps, water-flow control devices and free expert advice for flooding or timber damage. Trees for Life and Beaver Trust will announce specific reintroduction sites once the animals are settled.

"Beavers are key allies in tackling the interconnected climate and biodiversity crises," said Alan McDonnell, Trees for Life's head of nature restoration.