Careful design could help new woodlands thrive in areas where beavers are present, according to a new report.

With ambitious woodland expansion targets in Scotland and a growing beaver population, the overlap between beaver territories and woodland creation schemes is expected to become more common.

The research by NatureScot and the Beaver Trust draws on international expertise, as well as case studies in Scotland, to make recommendations for how to establish resilient new woodlands in areas where beavers live.

Beavers typically forage within 20m of a river or loch shore and are known to be choosy eaters with a preference for certain species, including willow, aspen, hazel, birch and rowan.