NW Lowland Water Vole Project

The North West Lowland Water Vole Project is the culmination of 4 years work at a regional level under the guidance of the Water for Wildlife Programme. Early on the partners all agreed that a key issue was the status of the Water Vole in the North West.

The Local Biodiversity Managers from Cheshire, Lancashire, Greater Manchester and North Merseyside joined the partnership and working with local Wildlife Trusts, and the Environment Agency produced two successful grant proposals One to SITA, Enriching Nature fund and one to the Esmee Fairbairne Trust. Match funding came from UU and the 10 districts of Greater Manchester. In Cheshire Halton BC, Macclesfield BC and the Cheshire Regional Biodiversity Partnership are all contributing to the project costs.

The funding is supporting two dedicated project officers, Richard Gardner based at Cheshire Wildlife Trust and Helen Laycock based at the Wildlife Trusts for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside over three years project to promote the conservation and restoration of Water Vole populations, as well as other riparian species and habitats.

Helen and Richard started in April 2008, and supported by volunteers, will conduct and coordinate surveys across the region. Information recorded will include habitat management practices and signs of Mink. These data will then be used to develop landscape and habitat management strategies and site-specific management plans to aid the targeted practical habitat management for the benefit of voles and many other species.

Summary of Cheshire region surveys in 2008:
47,000m of streams, ponds, canals and ditches: 94 x 500m surveys have been conducted between April and October. Of those 94 sites, 46 had signs of water voles, although it should be noted that many of these sites only contained old burrows or sporadic feeding remains. The important figure is that roughly a quarter (22 of the 94) has actively breeding colonies of water voles on them. Find out more about Water Vole Field Signs

This might not sound like a species that is under threat in Cheshire and has significantly declined in numbers, but the majority of sites visited have had water voles present on them in the last 20 years. During 2009 and 2010 Richard will begin to survey sites which have not been assessed for the presence of water voles. In addition, he will be revisiting some of the sites where they are surviving to see how the populations are doing. Find out more about Water Vole Ecology