Water vole populations in the UK have suffered an estimated 90 per cent decline and are a protected species requiring mitigation within development planning. In a coastal realignment scheme, we investigated the impact of flooding on water vole distribution and subsequently monitored the success of various habitat creation approaches and planting regimes on the established of new water vole populations.
This project aims to determine the impact of coastal landscape change on the distribution of water voles. It will assess the success of different mitigation approaches, habitat creation and planting regimes to maintain and enhance water vole populations.
This information can be used to inform future mitigation schemes and provide recommendations for mitigation strategies associated with water voles.
Research team
Dawn Scott
Maureen Berg
Rowenna Baker (PhD Student)
Output
Annual & Final report
Input into ‘Water Voles: Survey, Impact Assessment and Mitigation for Development and Other Construction Activities’. Guidelines.
Partners
Environment Agency
RSPB
Salix
Jacobs