A new report from The Wildlife Trusts, The National Water Vole Database Project Report, published on December 23^rd identifies continued declines in Water Vole populations set against heartening increases in areas where conservation efforts have been focused.

The Gwent Levels is one of those regions where Water Vole are thriving, thanks to over a decade’s work led by Gwent Wildlife Trust (GWT) to bring back Britain’s favourite mammal, characterised by Ratty in The Wind in the Willows. With funding for a new Water Vole Reintroduction Feasibility Study received from the Welsh Government and the National Lottery Heritage Fund through the Nature Networks Fund, Gwent Wildlife Trust aim to give Welsh Water Voles a further, much-needed boost over the coming years.

The national report examines Water Vole distribution over ten years by analysing the number of 10km grid squares across the country where Water Voles are present. Statistics show overall Water Vole range declining – a 39% decrease in the number of areas occupied by Water Voles compared to the 2006 baseline.

However, when the data is examined more closely encouraging trends emerge. The Wildlife Trusts’ project also looks at the concentration of Water Voles and has found that whilst the national picture is one of overall decline, some important local pockets of Water Vole populations have been increasing, with several new Regional Key Areas (RKA) identified in recent years.

Following the success of GWT’s Water Vole reintroduction at Magor Marsh Nature Reserve in 2012, the area has grown to be recognised as a Regional Key Area (RKA), one of only three in Wales and the only one in the South Wales region. Gwent Wildlife Trust’s Water Vole project officer, Kevin Donovan said: “It’s reassuring to see that the Gwent RKA was maintained in size across the last two reporting periods, suggesting that this is now a robust, established population which should better withstand any future change.”

The larger a population, the more stable and likely to persist, and so GWT’s vision is to further grow the Water Vole population and to spread into all suitable habitat across Gwent. To achieve this, their new Water Vole Reintroduction Feasibility Study (2024-2025) is focussing on the Wentlooge Level – the western side of the Gwent Levels (between the River Usk and Cardiff). This area is considered a priority due to its proximity to the existing Water Vole population and availability of suitable wet ditch habitats. The study will survey for the presence of Water Vole and American Mink (a non-native, invasive species which predates Water Vole), assess habitat conditions, connectivity, and ultimately, assess whether it is feasible (or necessary) to reintroduce Water Voles there.

Little is known about the state of Water Voles on this side of the Levels - whether there are any surviving remnant colonies, or if the eastern population has already started to spread across the River Usk at Newport. Gwent Wildlife Trust cannot answer these questions alone, so a major part of the project involves participation from residents, volunteers and local landowners in helping to assess the situation. Gwent Wildlife Trust are keen to hear from landowners on the Gwent Levels who would be happy to permit access to their land for surveys. They also want to hear from anyone who would be interested in managing their land to benefit Water Voles and other wildlife. Volunteers are being recruited and trained to help carry out Water Vole and American Mink surveys on the Gwent Levels.  

Commenting on the national report, Ali Morse, Water Policy Manager at The Wildlife Trusts, says:

“The data is giving us a very clear message. The overall national picture is one of decline due to the destruction of natural habitats and predation by the non-native American mink. However, Water Vole populations will thrive when the right conditions are created. It’s heartening to see that we can still rescue Ratty, if we all plan well and co-ordinate our efforts.

“Water Voles are mini ecosystem engineers, rather like beavers, and they contribute greatly to healthy river ecology. Reversing their historic loss needs to be a key focus of our conservation efforts.”

Ali Morse continued:

“Just because voles are present, it doesn’t mean that they are thriving. We still need to ensure that that we provide undisturbed riverbanks, reedbeds and ponds, and remove the non-native American mink that have devastated Water Vole populations, to allow their numbers to build up once more.

“Bringing back resilient populations requires a coordinated approach. We need to help populations expand from remaining strongholds, by ensuring that developers, land managers, farmers and conservationists all work in tandem.”

Water Voles look after our riverbanks, burrowing and eating a huge range of plants species. In doing so, they move seeds around, helping to maintain varied plant cover and creating lush and wild bankside vegetation. They are also a key food source for native species like stoats, predatory fish and birds of prey.

The Wildlife Trusts are calling for:

• A roll-out of a project exploring how nature restoration funds from housing developers can be used better, including to enhance water vole habitats.

• Priority to be given to the creation of water vole habitats within Environmental Land Management Schemes.
• Key area mapping to be used to inform conservation efforts through the Biodiversity Net Gain requirements which ensure developers enhance nature.

Read The National Water Vole Database Project Report

Learn more about our ongoing National Water Vole Database and Mapping Project

Notes to Editors:

This report draws on an ongoing project – the Wildlife Trusts’ National Water Vole Database – set up nearly 20 years ago to help target and monitor the impact of conservation efforts.

Gwent Wildlife Trust is a registered charity supported by a growing network of thousands of people in diverse communities, collaborating for nature’s recovery at a local level. Together, we’re tackling the biodiversity crisis by restoring joined-up, nature-rich spaces of all sizes, across all areas of Gwent. Established in 1963, we share decades of experience, learning and evidence to protect wild places and wildlife with and for the people of Gwent.

The Wildlife Trusts

The Wildlife Trusts are making the world wilder and helping to ensure that nature is part of everyone’s lives. We are a grassroots movement of 46 charities with more than 910,000 members and 39,000 volunteers. No matter where you are in Britain, there is a Wildlife Trust inspiring people and saving, protecting and standing up for the natural world. With the support of our members, we care for and restore over 2,600 special places for nature on land and run marine conservation projects and collect vital data on the state of our seas. Every Wildlife Trust works within its local community to inspire people to create a wilder future – from advising thousands of landowners on how to manage their land to benefit wildlife, to connecting hundreds of thousands of school children with nature every year. www.wildlifetrusts.org