Saving ratty - A future for water voles

Planning a future landscape with water voles Linking in with Nature Recovery Networks

Darren Tansley Chairman UK Water Vole Steering Group Protecting Wildlife for the Future and for the people of Essex

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Water vole habitat creation in Essex Many similar projects across the UK

Protecting Wildlife for the Future and for the people of Essex

Water Vole Mitigation Handbook New guidance in 2016 to point developers and planners in the right direction

Protecting Wildlife for the Future and for the people of Essex

The State of Nature report 2016 Species Recovery at a Landscape Scale – approx. 26,000km2

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Protecting Wildlife for the Future and for the people of Essex

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Water vole distribution over 10 years A further 30% decline in a period of water vole conservation efforts

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Protecting Wildlife for the Future and for the people of Essex

2018 Suffolk Wildlife Trust Water Vole Report A resurvey of Suffolk Rivers for water vole and mink including The Stour

Young mink on River Roding – Steve Jellett 6

Protecting Wildlife for the Future and for the people of Essex

Main findings of the report Based on 15 years of mink control Water voles occupying 46% of historic survey sites – a recovery from early 2000s but the same as 1998 During the last 15 years more than 3500 mink have been caught in Suffolk.

Despite this 16% of sites still showed mink activity Water vole recovery appears to be due to sustained mink control However mink trapping has decreased in intensity and mink numbers are increasing again

Water vole diving – Russell F Spencer

Protecting Wildlife for the Future and for the people of Essex

A UK Water Vole Recovery Network?

A National Strategy in line with Nature Recovery Networks We need a strategy, endorsed by the UK Water Vole Steering Group that operates at a National Scale, supported by the 25 year Environment Plan THREE STRANDS 1. Recognises the need for funded mink eradication – a Mink Free East Anglia pilot will play a pivotal role

Protecting Wildlife for the Future and for the people of Essex

1. Mink Free East Anglia Conservationists are playing a leading role but funding required

Protecting Wildlife for the Future and for the people of Essex

A UK Water Vole Recovery Network?

A National Strategy in line with Nature Recovery Networks We need a strategy, endorsed by the UK Water Vole Steering Group that operates at a National Scale, supported by the 25 year Environment Plan THREE STRANDS 1. Recognises the need for funded mink eradication – a Mink Free East Anglia pilot will play a pivotal role 2. To produce a viable plan for water vole habitat protection which works at a landscape scale, reduces fragmentation and puts connectivity at the heart of the planning system

Protecting Wildlife for the Future and for the people of Essex

The twin impacts of habitat fragmentation Water voles that lose their habitat

Protecting Wildlife for the Future and for the people of Essex

The twin impacts of habitat fragmentation Water voles that remain are now separated

Protecting Wildlife for the Future and for the people of Essex

What does fragmentation look like?

Advice sought regarding managing ‘wildlife’ pond

Protecting Wildlife for the Future and for the people of Essex

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Fragmentation Case Study – Barking Reach Problems with site scale water vole translocation

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Protecting Wildlife for the Future and for the people of Essex

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When is a buffer zone not a buffer zone?

We must separate water courses from bankside development

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Protecting Wildlife for the Future and for the people of Essex

A UK Water Vole Recovery Network?

A National Strategy in line with Nature Recovery Networks We need a strategy, endorsed by the UK Water Vole Steering Group that operates at a National Scale, supported by the 25 year Environment Plan THREE STRANDS 1. Recognises the need for funded mink eradication – a Mink Free East Anglia pilot will play a pivotal role 2. To produce a viable plan for water vole habitat protection which works at a landscape scale, reduces fragmentation and puts connectivity at the heart of the planning system 3. To formulate a strategic approach to water vole reintroduction to recolonise landscapes depleted of water voles (not the often short-term or inappropriate translocation of animals by developers) Protecting Wildlife for the Future and for the people of Essex

A strategic approach to reintroductions A way to repopulate depleted landscapes?

[Maps supplied by National Water Vole Database and Mapping Project]

2002-2006

913 occupied 10km grid squares

2011-2015

636 occupied 10km grid squares

Protecting Wildlife for the Future and for the people of Essex

Reintroduction Case Study - River Colne Five years of fully funded mink control

Protecting Wildlife for the Future and for the people of Essex

Reintroduction Case Study - River Colne In 2010 the Essex mink monitoring expanded along the Colne

Protecting Wildlife for the Future and for the people of Essex

Reintroduction Case Study - River Colne Expansion and recolonisation of the water vole population

Protecting Wildlife for the Future and for the people of Essex

Reintroduction Case Study - River Colne Return of mink picked up by River Wardens

5 young mink arrive

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Protecting Wildlife for the Future and for the people of Essex

Reintroduction Case Study - River Colne Trapping on rafts starts to rise but infrastructure now in place Mink trapping 2009-2017 35 30 25 20

15 10 5 0 2009*

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Protecting Wildlife for the Future and for the people of Essex

Better collaboration with planners Supporting Nature Recovery Networks for water vole recovery

Protecting Wildlife for the Future and for the people of Essex

eDNA metabarcoding surveys – July and Dec 2019 River Wardens training to survey R. Colne and R. Blackwater

Protecting Wildlife for the Future and for the people of Essex

eDNA metabarcoding research project – July 2019 Water vole DNA found in the habitat created by beavers in their enclosure

Protecting Wildlife for the Future and for the people of Essex

Think bigger - avoid site level decisions The Catchment Based Approach can work for consultants, planners and wildlife

Darren Tansley darrent@essexwt.org.uk Twitter @EssexWT_Darren Protecting Wildlife for the Future and for the people of Essex