A group of young Beaver Scouts have come face-to-face with their animal namesakes in a heartwarming encounter at one of London's most successful rewilding projects.
Members of the 4th Enfield Beavers were given an exclusive evening tour of the pioneering beaver enclosure at Archers Wood, near Forty Hall, to celebrate two milestones – the 40th anniversary of the Beaver Scouts movement in the UK and the continued growth of Enfield's own beaver family.
Recent monitoring has confirmed the family has expanded again. New kits have been spotted, bringing the total number of beavers living on the site to at least 11.
The enclosure, a joint project between Enfield Council and Capel Manor College – London's environmental college – is now home to the first beavers to live in London in more than 400 years. Reintroduced in 2022, the animals have transformed the landscape, with their natural engineering creating new wetlands, boosting biodiversity and helping to naturally reduce flood risk.
The visit took on added significance given London's recent extreme weather. The beavers' dams help retain water during droughts and slow the flow downstream during heavy rainfall, helping to protect communities such as Edmonton.
Accompanied by experts from the Council and the College, the Scouts visited the site at dusk and gathered on the newly built viewing platform. While the elusive creatures stayed hidden, the group was shown exclusive footage from monitoring cameras capturing the beavers felling trees, building dams and foraging.
The project forms part of the wider Enfield Chase Landscape Restoration programme, which aims to restore 1,500 hectares of farmland and green spaces across north London.
Cllr Andrew Thorp, Enfield Council's Cabinet Member for Communications and Customer Services, said: "Few people get the chance to meet the animals they share their name with, so it was wonderful to welcome 4th Enfield Beavers to our beaver enclosure and celebrate two very special milestones together.
"The growth of our beaver family is a remarkable success story for Enfield and demonstrates how nature-based solutions can help tackle some of the biggest environmental challenges we face."
Victoria Beckwith, Head of Forty Hall Farm at Capel Manor College, added: "We are incredibly excited to see beaver numbers growing year on year and the positive impact they are having on the local landscape, from natural water management to supporting greater biodiversity.
"This project brings together conservation, education and community engagement, while giving our students a unique opportunity to learn from a living landscape."
