Some animals change their surroundings simply by living in them. Beavers take this a step further: they reshape entire landscapes, creating habitats that support a remarkable variety of life.

With their dams, ponds and winding canals, beavers help keep water in the landscape. Their engineering creates a mosaic of deep pools, shallow wetlands and waterways that provide homes for countless species. These wetland systems can also help reduce the risks of flooding and drought while improving water quality.

Yet, despite their extraordinary contribution to healthy ecosystems, beavers were once pushed to the brink of extinction. During the 1600s, demand for their fur and scent glands soared. Over the following two centuries, an estimated 99.9% of the world’s remaining beavers were hunted and killed.

The consequences extended far beyond the loss of one species. Without beavers to build dams and shape waterways, many of the wetlands they created disappeared, along with the plants and animals that depended on them.

There is encouraging news, though. Thanks to dedicated conservation efforts and some unconventional approaches to rewilding, beavers have made a remarkable comeback. In Poland, a population considered functionally extinct in the wild just 70 years ago has grown to more than 100,000 individuals.

Our conservation partner, Rewilding Oder Delta, is helping build on this success. Their work extends beyond beavers, supporting the return of some of Europe’s iconic wildlife, including lynx, sea eagles, elk and even the European bison.

Now, a new project aims to give beavers the space they need to get back to doing what they do best.

The plan is to acquire a 20-hectare abandoned fish farm in Poland and transform it into a thriving beaver habitat. Its existing locks and drainage channels offer a useful starting point, giving these natural engineers the foundations for their own landscape-shaping work.

But successful rewilding involves more than providing animals with a place to live. It also means helping people and wildlife share the same landscape.

Beavers can sometimes create challenges for farmers and landowners. Their dams may flood agricultural fields, block drainage ditches, and their appetite for trees can bring them into conflict with people. For conservation to succeed over the long term, these challenges need practical, peaceful solutions.

That is why this mission also includes planting 9,000 willow trees, providing a natural source of food for beavers, and installing protective materials around 300 trees. By offering beavers their preferred snack and safeguarding selected trees, the project aims to reduce conflict while allowing these industrious animals to thrive.

The benefits could reach far beyond the boundaries of the abandoned fish farm. The 20 hectares of restored habitat, together with the surrounding landscape, are expected to have a positive impact on approximately 400 hectares of land.

It is a wonderful reminder that restoring nature does not always mean building something new. Sometimes, it means giving wildlife the space, resources and freedom to do what it has been doing for thousands of years.

With a little help from us, beavers can get back to building wetlands, supporting biodiversity and keeping water where it belongs - one dam at a time.