The Scottish Beaver Trial in Knapdale, Argyll, has won a prestigious Lonely Planet Award. The “Wildlife Comeback Award” celebrates the trial as a must see tourist destination over the last 12 months and recognises the sites popularity near and far.
Simon Jones, Scottish Beaver Trial Project Manager, said:
“We’re absolutely delighted to have received this award as only 24 were given across the whole world. The Lonely Planet Magazine is held in extremely high regard, so this is a huge accolade for the Scottish Beaver Trial and fantastic recognition for the project and for the local area.
“The Lochs where our two families of beavers live in Knapdale Forest has incredible natural beauty. Set within one of Scotland’s 40 designated ‘National Scenic Areas’, the trial location is truly representative of Scotland’s finest landscapes.
“The trial’s beavers have been busy constructing lodges and building dams, as well as enjoying swimming in the Lochs, all of which provide a great spectacle for those visitors fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of these amazing creatures. We’re delighted that the Lonely Planet Awards will raise the profile of the project and highlight the opportunity people have to explore a beaver landscape in one of the most stunning parts of Scotland.”
The first beaver families were released in May 2009 as part of a five-year trial reintroduction and are now settled in their new home in Knapdale. The Trial, which is a five year partnership project between the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), the Scottish Wildlife Trust and host partner Forestry Commission Scotland, aims to determine how beavers will prosper in Scottish habitats and to assess their effect on the current Scottish environment by monitoring them over the five-year trial period.
The independent scientific monitoring of the Trial’s beavers is being undertaken by Scottish Natural Heritage, and it is their final report at the Trial’s conclusion, that will help to decide the long term future for beavers in Scotland. Twenty-five European countries have already reintroduced beavers back into the wild. Beavers are a native species to the UK and were once a common sight before they were hunted to extinction by man in 16th century. Beavers are known as a keystone species; they bring many benefits to wetland environments and improve habitats for many other animals including invertebrates, birds and otters.
Only a two-hour drive from Glasgow and six miles west of Lochgilphead, the trial has received visitors from around the globe since the beavers were reintroduced over two years ago. New beavers, or kits, were born last August and the Scottish Beaver Trial team are hopeful more kits will be born this year.
If you plan your visit before the end of September 2011, there is still time to catch weekly guided walks to the beaver site before darker nights set in. Every Tuesday night at 6pm, sightseers should meet at the Barnluasgan Information Centre in Knapdale Forest.