I NOTE that the National Trust for Scotland agrees that reintroducing beavers into Scotland would be a good idea ("Trust calls for more beavers", The Herald, May 25).
Its rational for this seems to be that they would alter the landscape for the better by creating wetlands with the consequent increase in biodiversity.
It seems to have ignored the felling of trees, which around Loch Lubnaig and Loch Lomond is regarded as vandalism if humans do it, destruction of river banks by tunnelling (not all beavers create their lodges in the middle of ponds), and the difficulty their dams create for migrating fish. If it is regarded as such a good idea to create wetlands in certain areas then I am sure it is within the bounds of possibility for man to build a dam where it is needed.
I am always suspicious when it is suggested that species which used to inhabit these islands should be reintroduced solely because they used to be here. After all, we used to have smallpox, typhoid, and a host of other diseases which were endemic here but no-one seems to be wishing for their reintroduction. I suggest we look very carefully at any new reintroductions to see if the beneficial effects promoted for them may be achieved in a simpler manner.
Colin Gunn,
259 Kingsacre Road, Rutherglen.
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