24/08/2026
Too dam hot? You're not the only one feeling it. As Sussex sizzles, wildfires threaten and hosepipe bans bite, we're turning our attention to an unlikely drought solution: Beavers.
These once extinct native mammals are ecosystem engineers. Their dam-building behaviour slows, stores and retains water across catchments, delivering measurable benefits for both flood mitigation and drought resilience, entirely through natural behaviour.
The Environment Agency reports that Sussex had just 1% of its average rainfall in July. We're in the midst of one of the most severe droughts on record, and it will only happen more often as our climate changes.
At Knepp Wildlands on the River Adur, the Beaver area tells the story clearly: parched grassland next to lush, green, water-rich habitat. We're now exploring whether it's viable to restore free-living Beavers across the whole catchment, as part of a broader strategy for climate resilience and water security in Sussex.
Watch this space for more beavery updates soon.
Images: © Nick Upton and Matt Phelps / Knepp Wildlands
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