Beaver Family Thriving as New Enclosure Tours Launch at Forty Hall Farm
Capel Manor College is celebrating an exciting milestone for London’s rewilding efforts, as the Enfield beaver family welcomes a new baby kit and gains more space to thrive following the expansion of their enclosure at Archers Wood, Forty Hall.
Delivered in partnership with Enfield Council and part-funded by a £50,000 grant from the Mayor of London, the project has expanded the enclosure by one hectare – about the size of a rugby field. This additional space provides greater habitat diversity for the growing beaver family, who are playing a vital role in natural flood management and improving wildlife habitats in the area.
The family now totals eight beavers, including two adults and six kits. Their success is clear, with evidence of dam-building, coppicing, and increased biodiversity across the site.
Visitors can now explore the area more easily thanks to new footpaths linking to a signposted beaver trail and a raised viewing platform. For the first time, guided public tours of the enclosure will be offered, led by the expert team from Forty Hall Farm and Capel Manor College. These educational tours will give visitors the opportunity to see the beavers’ habitat up close, learn about their behaviour and ecological impact, and discover more about the wider goals of the College and the Enfield Chase Restoration Project.
Two complimentary tours will run during the Farmers Market at Forty Hall Farm on Sunday 13 July at 10.30am and 1.00pm, with places limited to 18 people per tour. Tours can be booked via TicketSource. Paid tours will launch at the end of the month, offering regular opportunities to connect with one of London’s most exciting rewilding stories.
Peter Brammall, Principal and CEO of Capel Manor College, said:
“Seeing the beaver family thriving here in Enfield is incredibly inspiring. For our students, staff, and visitors, it shows how rewilding projects can transform landscapes, enrich education, and reconnect people with nature right on their doorstep.”
This project forms part of the Enfield Chase Landscape Restoration initiative, one of the largest rewilding programmes in London, aiming to reconnect communities with nature and help combat the effects of climate change.
We are proud to continue working with Enfield Council and other partners to deliver projects that benefit both people and wildlife across London.
For upcoming tour booking details, please visit here.
