JOHN: BEAVERS WERE HUNTED INTO EXTINCTION IN ENGLAND IN THE 17TH CENTURY.

AND THIS PAST WEEK, FOR THE FIRST TIME, BEAVERS WERE LEGALLY RELEASED INTO THE ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE.

CONSERVATIONISTS HAILED IT AS A WATERSHED MOMENT FOR THIS KEYSTONE SPECIES WHICH HELPS COMBAT FLOODING AND DROUGHT BY ENGINEERING THE LANDSCAPE WITH DAMS AND CHANNELS.

ALEX THOMSON OF INDEPENDENT TELEVISION NEWS WAS AT PURBECK NATURE RESERVE IN DORSET FOR THE HISTORIC EVENT.

REPORTER: THE SEA MIST WREATHED CORFE CASTLE FROM DAWN, BUT THE WAY IS NOW CLEARED FOR BEAVERS HERE AND BEYOND.

THE SHORT WALK TO THE EDGE OF THE NATIONAL TRUSTS PURBECK X LITERALLY MARKS THE SPOT SO MANY HAVE WORKED FOR SO LONG TO ACHIEVE.

>> IT'S EXCITING FOR SOMEONE LIKE ME WHO HAS WORKED 40 YEARS FOR THIS.

TODAY SOUNDS REALLY EXCITING, WHICH SOUNDS LIKE A SMALL THING, TWO PAIRS OF BEAVERS BEING RELEASED HERE, BUT ACTUALLY IS A BOLD STEP IN REVERSING THE DECLINE OF BEAVERS.

REPORTER: ALL BUT CUT OFF FROM THE MAINLAND PURBECK'S THIS STUNNING LANDSCAPE OF LAGOON, BOG, FOREST.

AT THE DESIGNATED RELEASE SPOT, THE COURT IS UP.

THEY ARE READY.

FINAL PREPARATIONS, REMOTE CAMERAS IN PLACE, AND THEY ARRIVE.

TWO BEAVERS DRIVEN OVERNIGHT FROM NINE HOURS NORTH.

BANG ON TIME THE CRATES ARE SET DOWN.

THEY EMERGE, A LITTLE STRESSED, HESITANT EVEN.

THIS, THE FIRST OF MANY LEGAL RELEASES AFTER A 400 ABSENCE AS THESE ANIMALS WERE HUNTED TO EXTINCTION FOR THEIR FUR, MEAT AND EVEN THE SCENT GLANDS.

>> IT'S A REALLY HISTORIC DAY FOR NATURE IN THIS COUNTRY, TO SEE THE FIRST WHILE BEAVER RELEASED IS A REALLY IMPORTANT STEP IN NATURE RECOVERY.

REPORTER: NOT EVERYONE IS CONVINCED.

THE NFU SKEPTICAL VERGING ON HOSTILE TO GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED REINTRODUCTION ACROSS ENGLAND.

>> IT IS JUST NOT A REALISTIC OPTION FOR FARMERS TO MANAGE THE IMPACT OF BEAVERS.

THERE WILL BE CASES WHERE THEY NEED TO REMOVE BEAVERS.

THERE WILL BE PLACES WHERE OUR MEMBERS WILL NOT WANT TO.

SEE THEM.

WE JUST DON'T THINK THAT IS THERE IN THE CURRENT PLAN.

REPORTER: BUT THE GOVERNMENT INSISTED TODAY ROBUST IMPACT MANAGEMENT IS IN PLACE.

>> THERE WILL BE CAPITAL PLANS AVAILABLE TO DEAL WITH ANY BEAVER IMPACTS, INCLUDING THE ABILITY TO REMOVE BEAVER DAMS WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF CONSTRUCTION SHOULD THEY POSE A RISK TO CROPS.

ALSO, IN EXTREMISTS TO USE LEGAL CONTROL.

REPORTER: SPRING HEDGE PLANTING THIS MORNING, LOCAL FARMER IAN BAGGS IS, WELL, CONSTRUCTIVELY SKEPTICAL.

IT COULD WORK, SHOULD WORK, BUT NEEDS MORE GOVERNMENT SUPPORT.

>> SO THE CHALLENGE WE'VE GOT IS THAT THERE'S LOTS OF BENEFITS AND A POSITIVE STORY HERE, BUT ALSO RISKS AND THE BENEFITS OF SOCIETAL, THE RISKS ARE TO INDIVIDUAL SMALL BUSINESSES.

INCLUDING FARMERS AND POTENTIALLY OTHER LAND OWNERS AND PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN HOUSES THAT ARE SUBJECT TO FLOODING.

REPORTER: BEAVERS OF COURSE CREATE DAMS, WHICH FILLED WITH RIVER WATER, PURIFYING IT.

THAT WATER PROTECTS RIVER SYSTEMS FROM DROUGHTS AND FLOODS.

BUT PURBECK'S IDYLLIC NATURE RESERVE IS THE EASY BIT.

STUDDED WITH HEATH, FOREST, LAKES AND NO FARMING.

SO WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

THE MESSY REALITY IS THAT THE BEAVERS WILL BREED, AND BREED A LOT.

FROM THIS AND OTHER SIGNS ON THE SPREAD OUT ACROSS ENGLAND.

DOWN THE LINE WE WILL ARRIVE AT A BALANCE, PERHAPS UNCOMFORTABLE WHERE IN SOME AREAS THEY WILL BE CHERISHED AND WILL THRIVE AND BE LOVED, AND OTHER AREAS WERE FRANKLY THEY WILL GET REMOVED OR BE SHOCKED, LEGALLY OR ILLEGALLY.

THAT MIGHT SOUND BRUTAL, BUT ULTIMATELY WE WILL HAVE REPLACED A KEY SPECIES, A MISSING PIECE OF OUR BIODIVERSITY JIGSAW AFTER CENTURIES.

AND THAT SURELY IS PROGRESS.

SO TODAY'S LEGAL RELEASE JOINTS WHAT ARE KNOWN AS BEAVER BOMBINGS, THE ILLEGAL RELEASE OF ANIMALS ALREADY THRIVING IN ENGLAND.

HUNDREDS OF THEM.

ACHIEVING THE RIGHT BALANCE IN ALL THIS WILL TAKE TIME, BUT THE OFFICIAL BEGINNINGS OF THAT STARTED TODAY.

AMNA: JOHN: THAT'S JOHN: ALEX THOMSON OF INDEPENDENT TELEVISION