Appendix 8 – Engagement report

This document contains an engagement report, dated 20 October 2023, about bringing beavers back to the Cairngorms National Park. The Cairngorms National Park Authority worked with partners and land managers on a proposal to reintroduce beavers to the upper River Spey catchment. They engaged with communities through online resources, drop-in events, and meetings with land managers to gather opinions on the proposal. The engagement period included informal events in March 2023 and a formal six-week engagement from August to September 2023. The formal engagement had 515 online survey respondents, 104 event attendees, reached 84,833 people on social media and had 18 site visits with landowners. Overall, the Park Authority sought to understand different views on bringing back beavers, address concerns, and provide information about potential impacts and mitigation measures.