Are you interested in helping our wild beaver populations to thrive? Could you talk tactfully and confidently to a landowner about the incredible, positive impacts beavers can have on our landscape? And do you have honed GIS skills which you’re keen to apply to help restore nature across our region?

Then we’re looking for you!

 

The Bristol Avon catchment has a large population of wild beavers, a result of unlicensed release(s), which we think took place sometime around 2020. In 2022, a Natural England survey identified 13 separate territories, and a possible population of 50 adult beavers across the area. Unlike managed beaver enclosures and licensed wild releases (which were only permitted since Feb 2025), our beaver population has been growing without structured management or support.

 

In April 2025 Avon Wildlife Trust launched a vital new project – the Beaver Advice and Support Team (Bristol Avon & Somerset Frome). We’re working across the region to upskill and inform a range of stakeholders – from Farm Advisors, Ecologists and Planning Authorities to farmers, landowners and land managers – about living alongside the beaver population to ensure they thrive.

 

We are looking for someone to join this new Beaver Advice and Support team, and support the wider strategic Beaver Advisory Group. You will be tasked with collecting, analysing and presenting high quality data on the wild beaver populations living across our river catchments. In addition, you will deliver on-the-ground support and advice to landowners, farmers and communities living and working alongside beavers, resulting in improved knowledge, support and acceptance of beavers at a local, grassroots level.

 

Overall purpose of job

To support the work of our Beaver Advice and Support team (Bristol Avon & Somerset Frome) and the wider strategic Beaver Advisory Group by collecting, analysing and presenting high quality data on the wild beaver populations living across our river catchments. To deliver on-the-ground support and advice to landowners, farmers and communities living and working alongside beavers, resulting in improved knowledge, support and acceptance of beavers at a local, grassroots level.

 

Main responsibilities

· Providing land management advice and support for landowner/farmers living alongside wild beaver populations, including the creation of beaver management plans

· Facilitation of data collection, input and management through GIS, and helping to steer project focus areas through modelling of potential opportunity/limitation zones

· Support the delivery of training workshops and community engagement events, educating and upskilling those living alongside wild beaver populations on the positive impacts of beaver-engineered landscapes, and addressing common concerns.