Volunteers don their wellies for a tree-planting event for Enfield Beaver project
Capel Manor College, in partnership with Enfield Council, successfully led a vital conservation effort to expand the beaver enclosure at Forty Hall Farm earlier this week, hosting a community tree-planting event on Thursday 27 February 2025.
Staff, students and volunteers came together to plant 800 tree saplings – including willow, aspen, hazel, alder, osier, silver birch and green beech – enhancing the habitat for the resident beaver family and supporting local biodiversity.
As the custodians of the enclosure, Capel Manor College’s staff and students have been actively monitoring and caring for the beavers since their reintroduction to London in 2022. Their ongoing work ensures the health and welfare of these keystone species, which play a crucial role in natural flood management and ecosystem restoration.
During the event, volunteers helped plant saplings across 1,500 square meters, providing an essential food source and enriching the environment for the beavers. Participants of all skill levels took part, working through muddy conditions with gloves and tools provided by the College.
The tree planting commenced at 9:30 AM at the beaver expansion site, following a guided walk from Forty Hall. Volunteers braved the mud terrain, bringing enthusiasm and commitment to the cause.
This project is part of Capel Manor College’s wider commitment to conservation education and habitat restoration. The enclosure expansion has been made possible through a partnership with Enfield Council and a £50,000 grant from the Rewild London Fund, supporting enhancements such as water quality monitoring, public viewing platforms and educational initiatives, more of which will be revealed in the coming months.
For more information about the Beaver project and future activities at Capel Manor College, contact marketing@capel.ac.uk.
The Beavers at Forty Hall Farm were the first to be introduced to London in 400 years. To follow their journey from introduction, to parenthood and expansion visit the blogs below:
- Beavers are back in London: https://www.capel.ac.uk/news/beavers-are-back-in-london/
- London’s first beaver project gets new dam dwellers: https://www.capel.ac.uk/news/londons-first-beaver-project-gets-new-dam-dwellers/
- Enfield baby beaver is another first for London: https://www.capel.ac.uk/news/enfield-baby-beaver-is-another-first-for-london/
- Capel Manor College welcomes four baby beavers at Enfield: https://www.capel.ac.uk/news/capel-manor-college-welcomes-four-baby-beavers-at-enfield/
- An evening in nature: https://www.capel.ac.uk/news/an-evening-in-nature/
