We have now started our water testing at Paradise Fields where beavers were introduced in October 2023. Local volunteers met on 8 June and tested water inflows, sites along the water source, the outflow and a control pond. Results show that water quality improves as it passes through the site.
This is a beginning of a long term monitoring project to help understand the impact of beavers on water quality but has already thrown up some surprising results as some of the water in the site is of good ecological status.
Communicating these results together with the other measurable impacts of the beavers are part of the efforts of engaging the local community and spreading the positive massage of what beavers can do to improve urban areas, by bringing nature back and helping reduce the impacts of flooding.
Action plan
Timeline:
When will you be able to start your project? How often will your team meet?Are there any key dates to share for the project?
The project aims to start in February 2024 but will depend on when we receive the required funding, and training on using sampling kits and data management from Freshwater Watch. The team will meet monthly or bi-monthly depending on how often we decide to carry out water sampling, after discussion with Freshwater Watch.
Budget: You don't need to share exact prices, but please share how you're planning to spend the seed funding & what costs you're anticipating to get your project up and running:
The aim is to use the ChangeX funding to purchase additional test kits to allow for monthly sampling at two locations within the site over the next year (depending on kit costs) and if possible above the site water entry point. Some funding may also be used to purchase equipment (trays and nets) to allow us to do some macroinvertebrate sampling on site.
Impact: How will your community benefit from this project? Do you have any measurable goals for your project, such as the number of people that will participate? Are you hoping to spread knowledge or increase interest in a specific subject?
The project will involve Ealing Wildlife Group volunteers from Greenford and the surrounding area. The aim of the sampling is to determine - together with other work going on at the site - if there are any benefits to water quality from the presence of beavers in Paradise Fields, including on how their presence affects chemicals present in the water during storm flows. There are already a large number of volunteers working on various aspects of the Ealing BeaverProject, who would be able to get involved in the future and which should allow for sampling to continue on an ongoing basis should funding be available.
This work is something that we can weave into the storytelling about the benefits of reintroducing beavers. Regular tours of the site for the public will take place in 2024 in which the sampling would be part of the information shared. The urban setting of the site, together with its access to the public, allows for a wide range of opportunities to engage and communicate with the surrounding community about local water quality and flood risk, the impact of beavers on both of these, and about nature recovery more broadly - this will happen both in person at the site or more widely through Ealing Wildlife Group’s newsletter, social media and events.
Location: Do you have all necessary permission and permits to carry out your project at the chosen location?
The project will take place at Paradise Fields in Greenford where the Ealing Wildlife Group is already one of the partners working on the Ealing Beaver Project.
Welcome everyone - we are in the process of setting up the group, organising funding and the water sampling activities that we will be doing in Paradise Fields to monitor the impact of our busy family of beavers. More info soon, so watch this space!
