Water vole - Photo © Terry Whittaker/2020VISION
Water Vole Recovery Project
Bringing back water voles from the brink across Nottinghamshire
It is widely acknowledged that the water vole is the UK’s fastest declining mammal. Surveys for the species early in 2023 at Nottinghamshire sites where they were recorded historically found them to be either absent or reduced in number or range.
This local evidence, plus continued pressure on water vole populations across the UK and their recent extinction in some counties, demonstrates that urgent action is required to prevent this charismatic and important mammal being lost from Nottinghamshire.
Now, thanks to a grant of almost half a million pounds from Natural England’s Species Recovery Programme Capital Grant Scheme, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, which helped coordinate the first county-wide survey for the species back in 1997/98, is to embark on an ambitious project to restore water vole populations across three key areas of the county.
The project, based at our Idle Valley Nature Reserve and will be overseen by our Head of Nature Recovery North, Janice Bradley MBE. Work will be coordinated by our new Water Vole Recovery Project Manager Gary Cragg assisted by two Water Vole Recovery Officers – (North & South). It will run until March 2025 will see £491,740 invested in a range of measures to restore and create vital wetland habitat to support the species, efforts to boost water vole numbers and a targeted programme of mink control across 900 hectares of wetland habitat and more than 50km of rivers to give water vole populations the chance to recover.
‘Team Water Vole’ from left to right: Water Vole Recovery Officers Jack Scarborough & Lydia Rackham; Head of Nature Recovery (North) Janice Bradley and Gary Cragg, Water Vole Recovery Project Manager.
Outputs
The team will deliver an extensive programme of habitat improvement and creation projects including:
- 40 new ponds on NWT reserves and adjacent / suitable sites within the target areas (£73,000 plus almost £7,000 for aquatic pond plants)
- Enhancements at 10 ponds
- Improvements to watercourse (berms/backwashes and meanders) to create better feeding and nesting opportunities for water voles
- Reedbed creation
- Creation of a breeding and release ‘ark’ site for water voles at the Trust’s Idle Valley Nature Reserve – inside the Beaver enclosure which provides ideal habitat for water voles
To ensure the effectiveness of the new habitat enhancements the project will deliver a coordinated programme of mink control in the target catchments, working with partner organisations and local landowners. Whilst the project will invest almost half a million pounds into water vole recovery, the programme will be enhanced by an estimated £100,000 of value added by volunteers including farmers and landowners giving their time freely to support mink control, manage new habitat features and monitor the impact. The project will be supported by a range of partners via a Steering Group to ensure effective delivery and partner liaison.
FAQs
Why is this project needed?
The evidence is stark and clear, without urgent action, the future for water voles in our county is bleak and we risk losing this much-loved species forever from Nottinghamshire. The urgency of the situation is highlighted by the water vole's inclusion as a priority species in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.
What area does the project cover?
The project will be focussed on at least three catchments across the county (Erewash, Sherwood and Idle) – giving water voles the opportunity to recover in the north, south and centre of the county. The project also aims to restore water vole populations at two of our flagship sites - Idle Valley and Attenborough Nature Reserves - amongst other wetland sites.
Why is mink control part of the project?
The future of the county’s water vole population is so perilous that in addition to creating new habitat and improving existing wetland habitat it is essential that we prevent further loss of water voles due to mink predation. Mink were introduced or escaped into our landscape in the 1950s and 1960s. Water vole numbers have been devastated by mink which are voracious predators which will kill a wide range of native creatures. Efforts to reduce mink numbers are vital to save water voles from extinction and will also benefit a range of other species. Without directly reducing mink numbers efforts to improve or create suitable habitat would be futile.
How can you justify killing mink?
Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust believe that culling should always be seen as a last resort and be underpinned by science. Nobody goes into nature conservation to kill things, but we sometimes need to be willing to make difficult decisions to protect threatened species. Water voles are our most threatened native mammal, on the verge of extinction here in Notts and across much of the UK. As the local Wildlife Trust we have a duty to act to protect and restore native species. We are working to promote a wide abundance of wildlife and if one species becomes overly dominant then we are not achieving that. Sadly, non-native mink have no effective natural predators and have been decimating populations of a number of species for many years, especially water voles, and we are committed to bringing water voles back from the brink. We will be following best practice and evidence from a range of successful projects.
What other species will benefit from the project?
As well as halting the decline of water voles, this programme will benefit other threatened species including bittern, sedge warbler, harvest mouse, otter, nathusius pipistrelle and common tern.
