History was made in February 2021 when Dorset Wildlife Trust released a pair of Eurasian beavers – Castor fiber – into an enclosed site as part of a scientific study to assess the impact beavers have on their environment. This is the first time that beavers have lived in Dorset for over 400 years. In this lecture, Stephen Oliver will tell the fascinating story of how the beavers have settled into their Dorset home and explain how these unique mammals can play a vital role in river ecology and nature-based solutions to flooding, pollution and species loss.

Stephen Oliver manages the Dorset Beaver Project on behalf of Dorset Wildlife Trust and has lived in Dorset for most of his life, having grown up in the county. Stephen has worked for a number of conservation organisations during his career and has been with Dorset Wildlife Trust for 16 years. With a lifelong passion for wildlife and nature conservation, Stephen is part of the team restoring beavers to a local landscape, whilst raising awareness and understanding about what it means to have these magnificent creatures return.

As part of our partnership with Dorset Wildlife Trust during the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition, which runs from 21 July to 29 October 2023 at Dorset Museum, 20% of ticket sale proceeds for this lecture will go towards the Dorset Wildlife Trust beaver project.

This is a bookable event on the museum website