Beaver ... Aspen's friend or foe?

8th December 2011

It is well known that beavers love aspen.  How much so has been demonstrated by signs of beaver activity recently found on the island of Shuna by Tom Prescott of Butterfly Conservation Scotland.

Shuna is 20kms from the release site at Knapdale, and is separated from the mainland by almost a mile of sea. 

This event raises a number of interesting questions:

• Aspen is rather scarce in Argyll.  Was the Shuna stand located by chance? or did the beaver detect the trees' presence from afar? (perhaps by smell?)
• Aspen rarely flowers in Scotland.  The gnawed trees will be stressed by the beaver's attentions.  Will this prompt the trees to flower?

Given the scarcity of Aspen in Argyll and its popularity with beavers, should we be making preparations for its eventual spread?  This might include mapping the current resource, and planting more riparian woodlands rich in aspen and willow.

As to whether beaver is a friend or foe of Aspen, this question was posed at the first Aspen conference in 2001.  Beaver and aspen co-exist throughout their common range, and have evolved together over thousands of years.  Aspen responds to felling by producing an abundance of suckers.

And if a perceived threat from beavers prompts us to plant more aspen, that's all to the good.