Beavers One Year On: How Rewilding Is Reshaping Wetlands

About this episode

Tim Smedley returns to a site one year after beavers were reintroduced to explore the changes in the landscape and the impact of rewilding.

One year after beavers were reintroduced to this site, Tim Smedley returns to see what’s changed. Joined by Ben from the Wildlife Trust, he explores how the beavers have shaped the landscape — from tree felling and canal building to water storage, habitat creation, and public reaction. Filmed on location, this documentary-style episode offers a grounded look at how rewilding works in practice, and what these animals can teach us about restoring nature and managing water in a changing climate.

People in this episode

Host: Tim Smedley

Guest: Ben

Topics covered

• rewilding
• beavers
• wetlands
• landscape management
• climate change

Keywords

• nature restoration
• water management
• habitat creation
• public reaction

More episodes of water matters

• Episode 25: Why Managing Rainwater at Home Matters More Than You Think · April 17, 2026 · 28 min
• Episode 24: One Year Later - The Reality of Water in the UK · April 3, 2026 · 33 min
• Episode 23: What the 2026 Water Matters Yearbook Reveals About Global Water · March 20, 2026 · 16 min
• Episode 22: The Middle East: How the Driest Region Manages Its Water · March 7, 2026 · 39 min
• Ep 21: Floods, Droughts and Beavers — Are Nature-Based Solutions the Answer? · February 20, 2026 · 36 min
• Old Worlds, New Solutions: Ancient Civilisations and Modern Nations Teach Us About the Water Crisis · November 14, 2025 · 49 min