Extreme H Celebrates Making UK Beaver History
6 March 2025: Following years of preparation and planning, Extreme H is proud to have supported the UK’s first legal wild beaver release in over 400 years, in an aim to positively contribute to biodiversity restoration in the UK.
The series’ provided financial support to the National Trust back in 2021 as part of its Jurassic X Prix Legacy Programme, back in Season 1 of Extreme E, which highlighted the importance of rewilding efforts in tackling climate change and restoring ecosystems.
During the race week in Dorset, drivers and race staff came together to build a beaver lodge out of heather bales and twigs, part submerged in the wetlands, ready for its new semi-aquatic future owners to move into. Three years on and the first of two pairs of beavers released today was made close to the lodge, which is still in place and could now finally provide shelter to its long-awaited guests.
David Brown, Land and Nature Programme Manager for The National Trust Purbeck Estate, said: “A monumental day on the Purbeck Heaths today. Eight years after we first agreed to lead a project and after years of hard and often frustrating work by countless people across many organisations, today we released beavers into the wild under licence for the first time.
“A milestone in UK nature recovery, for the National Trust, for Purbeck Heaths. Beavers are nature’s water engineers, and their return will help revive wetlands that have been in decline for decades. Their ability to improve water quality, reduce flood risk, and boost biodiversity makes them an essential part of the landscape’s future.”
The beavers are now settling into their new home at Little Sea lake in Studland, Purbeck, unrestricted by fences or enclosures. Extreme H’s support will enable the National Trust to install protective measures to ensure the beavers do not negatively impact local people, businesses or farmers, and to carry out engagement programmes with the local community.
Julia Wall-Clarke, Director of Impact, Extreme H, who was invited to witness the release, said: “Our Legacy Programmes are designed to support real-world solutions for communities and nature. Beaver impact on the landscape is proof of how nature, when given the right conditions, can restore itself.
“We congratulate the National Trust team, who have worked tirelessly for many years to achieve today’s release. We of course feel very proud to have supported their efforts to bring these important engineers back to Dorset, and look forward to following the benefits they will bring to the ecosystem for years to come.”
Little Sea, Studland, is an ideal location for beavers, with slow-moving fresh water and surrounding dense wet woodland of willow. As beavers naturally fell trees, they create glades and open spaces, allowing more light to reach the forest floor. This encourages the growth of new saplings, wildflowers, and attracts pollinators like dragonflies, butterflies, and bees, along with birds that thrive in more diverse woodland structures.
As the beaver population grows, they could spread into the Purbeck Heaths National Nature Reserve, a critical landscape for nature recovery. Their wetlands will retain water during droughts, reduce flood risks, and store carbon, making them a nature-based solution to climate challenges.
With nature in decline at an unprecedented rate, the UK remains one of the most biodiversity-depleted countries in the world. Extreme H’s support for the National Trust continues to demonstrate how motorsport can drive meaningful environmental change, proving that sustainability and sport can go hand in hand.
Extreme E’s Legacy Programme has supported a range of biodiversity and conservation projects across its global race locations, leaving a lasting positive impact on the environments it visits.
In Scotland, the series worked with the River Nith Salmon Fishery Board to support salmon conservation by helping to protect eroding river banks and planting shade dwelling native trees like willow to help reduce water temperatures in important salmon spawning areas. In Saudi Arabia, the series collaborated with the Ba’a Foundation to aid in the restoration of native turtle populations, ensuring the protection of nesting sites along the Red Sea coastline.
In Senegal, the series partnered with Oceanium to restore vital coastal ecosystems by planting over one million mangroves, helping to protect communities from coastal erosion and providing a critical habitat for marine life. In the Amazon, Extreme E worked with The Nature Conservancy to support reforestation efforts and sustainable agroforestry initiatives, empowering local communities to protect and restore one of the world’s most important ecosystems.
These initiatives are just a few examples of many efforts which reflect the championship’s commitment to using motorsport as a platform for positive environmental change, ensuring each race contributes to a greener and more sustainable future. As the series transitions to become Extreme H, the world’s first hydrogen racing championship, starting later this year, the Legacy Programme initiative will continue.
