Public body Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) has applied for a licence to release beavers in Glen Affric in the Highlands.

The glen is a large area of thickly wooded hillsides and glens with a river, streams and lochs south of Inverness. It includes fragments of ancient Caledonian Forest.

Beavers could be released into Loch Beinn a Mheadhoin next spring if Scottish government agency NatureScot grants a licence.

Legal releases of beavers have already taken place in Knapdale in Argyll and parts of the Cairngorms National Park in the Highlands.

FLS and its project partner, conservation charity Trees for Life, said they had carried out two years of consultation with local communities and land managers.

Euan Wiseman, FLS north region planning manager, said: “Over the years we have built up good working relationships with the local Affric communities so it was important that we took the time to fully engage with everyone on this issue.”

He added: “We have now put appropriate measures in place that have enabled us to make a formal application to NatureScot for a release licence.”

Alan McDonnell, Trees for Life’s head of nature restoration, added: “Should the application be approved, we will be ready to offer practical support to ensure the local community can enjoy and benefit from beavers being brought back to the glen, with any localised issues well-managed.”

Beavers died out in Scotland about 400 years ago but were reintroduced in 2009.

Conservation organisations say beaver activity can improve water quality and wetland habitats and also help to alleviate flooding.

But in the Cairngorms there has been criticism from farmers and crofters.

They said a proper consultation was not held ahead of the releases in the national park.