Findings from interviews in East Devon, six years on from the River Otter Beaver Trial
The River Otter Beaver Trial took place between 2015 and 2020, during which interviews were conducted with people who reported conflicts with beavers. Beavers remained in the catchment thereafter. Six years after the Trial concluded, the same researcher returned to interview people living with beavers in the post-project context, providing an opportunity to explore how earlier findings may have evolved. Ten interviews were conducted: two repeat interviews with participants who took part in the earlier study, and eight with new participants. Features of the earlier interviews were seen to have evolved, and additional features emerged. The findings, detailed in this report, comprise of: four themes with practical application for practitioners (preparation and reactivity; appropriate communication; shared decision-making; ongoing support and monitoring); two underlying themes which influence individual expectations of the management response (emotion; learning to live with beavers); and three underlying themes which influence what management response can be undertaken (unfamiliarity with the governance of beaver management; wider knowledge-sharing; restrictions or limitations).
This report presents these findings, supported by the words of the people interviewed. The findings underscore the individual nature of beaver case management, as there are context-specific elements of human experience, perspectives, and expectations. Predicted conflicts or opportunities may not align with how individuals experience a scenario, or value the species, landscape, or features within it. When engaging with people living with beavers, there is a vital need to understand individual experiences within their place-based contexts.