Species Action Plan
Water Vole

“A brown little face with whiskers. A grave round face, with the same twinkle in its eye that had first attracted his notice. Small neat ears and thick silky hair. It was the water rat !”  (Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows, 1908)

1.	Aim
•	To conserve London’s water vole population and increase their range and numbers for the benefit of current and future generations.

2.	Introduction
The former widespread distribution and abundance of the water vole (Arvicola terrestris) has meant that until recently it attracted little or no conservation interest. However, its accelerating decline in numbers and the resulting fragmentation of its population is of great concern.
As one of the main characters in the Children’s classic The Wind in the Willows, the water rat, or water vole as it is properly called, is a well-liked and familiar animal amongst the general public – with their short, blunt muzzle, small hairy ears and plump, rounded body. Water voles are not overly sensitive to the presence of people and may be easily seen during the day in areas where they still survive. This high profile presents opportunities to bring the species’ plight to the attention of London’s public, publicise the progress of the Action Plan and involve people in its conservation.
The water vole is potentially an excellent flagship species, whose presence reflects healthy waterside habitats and their associated plant communities.

3.	Current Status
The changing fortunes of the British water vole population through the 20th century has only recently come to light, following the pioneering national surveys conducted by the Vincent Wildlife Trust in 1989-90 and 1996-98. These surveys confirmed that the species has become progressively scarcer along our waterways since the 1930s, as the result of habitat loss and land-use changes associated with the intensification of agriculture in the wider countryside. Since the 1980s, this decline has accelerated due to predation by feral American Mink (established as escapes from fur farms). The decline has now developed into a serious population crash with a further 88% loss to the remaining populations in only seven years (1991-1998). This makes the water vole the most rapidly declining mammal in Britain.
In Greater London the water vole has disappeared from over 72% of the sites it occupied before 1997 (LMG Greater London Water Vole Survey 1997). Although the species still retains a widespread distribution around much of London’s periphery (especially in the Boroughs of Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Redbridge, Richmond, Waltham Forest), populations are highly localised and fragmented.

4.	Specific Factors Affecting the Species
The many factors that influence the survival of this species are outlined below. They are listed in order of priority, but each may have a greater or lesser local effect depending on the robustness of the individual populations and their habitat.
4.1	Fragmentation and isolation of habitats and populations
This is viewed as being a major factor of concern. Loss of wetland habitats has reduced populations and left them more vulnerable to other threats such as predation. Development, land drainage, low water levels, river engineering and changes in waterside management have all destroyed habitat. Intensive grazing and trampling by livestock along watercourses also contributes greatly to habitat loss in some of the more rural boroughs.
4.2	Predation by mink
The arrival and spread of mink along a waterway has been found to have serious consequences for water voles and rapid extinction of some water vole colonies has been recorded. Mink predation is influenced and exacerbated by other threats such as habitat loss.  The current distribution of mink in London is restricted to the Lea river corridor and Colne valley. Mink have been trapped also in the upper Roding valley in Essex.
4.3	Disturbance of riparian habitats
In the past, channelisation and subsequent dredging operations as part of flood defence management caused the most significant form of disturbance. These modifications have had a drastic effect on water vole habitat causing the destruction of burrows, loss of emergent and in-stream vegetation and the re-profiling or hard engineering of the banks. Mechanical cutting and removal of bankside vegetation may also be highly disturbing to water voles.
Water voles are relatively tolerant of human recreational activities (dog walking, angling and boating) along waterways as long as they have vegetation cover in which to hide.
4.4	Deterioration of riparian habitats and reduction of flow
Water voles appear to be relatively tolerant of low water quality but the full impacts of different types of pollution such as industrial effluent are unknown. Low flows and droughts such as those caused by over-abstraction of groundwater can lead to localised loss of water voles. By contrast, prolonged flooding can also be detrimental.
4.5	Rodenticides and rat control
Poisoned grain or similar rodenticides placed for rats or mice may be taken by water voles if placed along a watercourse. The proliferation of rats along a waterway, attracted by litter and human refuse, may be detrimental to water voles which may be out-competed or even fall prey to their larger cousins. Carried out carefully, rat control has been shown to be beneficial to water voles.

5.	Current Action
5.1	Legal status
The water vole has been given legal protection under the Wild Mammals (protection) Act 1996 and Schedule 5 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (as amended).
The Wildlife and Countryside Act protection makes it an offence intentionally to;
•	Damage, destroy, or obstruct access to any structure or place which water voles use for shelter or protection
•	Disturb water voles while they are using such a place 
This species will receive full protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) making it an offence to take, possess or intentionally kill a water vole. Proposed date of this change set for spring/summer 2004.
5.2	Mechanisms targeting the species
These current actions are ongoing. They need to be supported and continued in addition to the new action listed under Section 7.
5.2.1	Advice
Practical advice about water vole conservation and habitat management has been summarised in The Water Vole Conservation Handbook (Strachan, 1998). Educational resources include the Focus on Water Voles slide pack produced by The Wildlife Trusts.
5.2.2	Waterway management
Flood defence management of waterways is being carried out in accordance with best practice guidelines to maintain water vole populations.
Environment Agency projects and plans now consider the requirements of water voles and implement actions when appropriate. 
Many Local Authorities and organisations are already promoting water vole conservation through habitat enhancement projects, surveys and publicity campaigns. 
5.2.3	Research
National Research is currently underway investigating translocation and reintroduction as methods to aid the species recovery.

6.	Objectives, Actions and Targets
Most of these actions are specific to this species. However, there are other, broader actions that apply generically to a number of habitats and species. These are located in a separate ‘Generic Action’ section which should be read in conjunction with this document. There are generic actions for Site Management, Habitat Protection, Species Protection, Ecological Monitoring, Biological Records, Communications and Funding.
Please note that the partners identified in the tables are those that have been involved in the process of forming the plan. It is not an exclusive list and new partners are both welcomed and needed. The leads identified are responsible for co-ordinating the actions – but are not necessarily implementers.

Objective 1	Establish a baseline for future monitoring, consolidate records and continue to monitor for water voles
Target: Status and key populations assessed by end of 2001: Provide an assessment of the status of water voles in London by 2006

Action	Target Date	Lead	Other Partners	
1.1 Create a water vole project officer post to actively promote water vole conservation in the London area	Achieved	EA	LA, LWT, LVRPA
	
1.2 Collate existing records of water voles and mink in London	
Achieved
	LWT	EA, LA, LNHS, GLA, RSPB	
1.3 Identify key populations and areas where new survey and monitoring should be focused	Achieved	LWT	EA, LA, LVRPA	
1.4 Secure funding to continue London Water Vole Project to actively promote water vole conservation in London 	2004	Working group	LA, LWT, LVRPA
EA, LWT
BWL	
1.5 Produce report of up to date survey results and identify areas of strategic importance for water vole populations	2004	Working group	EA, LA, LNHS, GLA
LBRC, LWT	
1.6 Establish programme of future monitoring of existing populations and update knowledge of species range in London	2005	Working group	EA, LA, LVRPA, LWT	

Objective 2	Maintain water vole distribution and abundance at their March 2001 levels
Target	: At least no significant change by 2011

Action	Target Date	Lead	Other Partners	
2.1 Safeguard water vole sites where land is grazed and encourage the protection of water courses by fencing	Reviewed Annually	EA	EN, LWT, LA, Landowners	
2.2 Initiate the humane control of mink as a conservation tool where they threaten water vole populations	Reviewed Annually	EA	LWT, Landowners, LVRPA	
2.3 Ensure the use of rodenticides in areas supporting water voles is avoided by providing leaflets and advice	Reviewed Annually	LBBF	LA, LWT	
2.4 Ensure that reviews of Environment Agency’s projects and plans take account of strategic habitat enhancement projects focused on expanding water vole populations	Ongoing	EA	LA, EN, LWT	
2.5 Distribute existing and produce updated  best practice guidelines tailored to the following priority audiences: landowners, developers, graziers, planners, angling clubs and pest control	2006	Working group	GLA, LA, EA, EN	

Objective 3	Facilitate recolonisation of a number of past sites and establish populations at suitable new sites
Target: Carry out the reintroduction of the species in at least three suitable sites by 2005

Action	Target Date	Lead	Other Partners	
3.1 Identify historic sites in addition to current sites	Achieved	LWT	EA, LA, LNHS, GLA	
3.2 Identify at least 3 sites suitable for reintroduction	Achieved	LWT	EA, LA, TEP	
3.3 Continue to identify locations suitable for reintroduction of water voles as need arises	Annually	Working group	EA, LA, GLA	
3.4 Ensure sympathetic land management is in practice on suitable sites	2004	EN	EA, LWT, GLA, LA	
3.5 Carry out reintroduction on at least 3 sites with suitable publicity	2005	EA	WWT, LWT, LA	

Relevant Action Plans
London Plans
The Tidal Thames; Canals; Reedbed; Marshland Audit; Rivers and Streams Audit.
National Plans
Water Vole; Chalk Rivers; Rivers and Streams Habitat Statement; Canals Habitat Statement; Fens, Carr, Marsh, Swamp and Reedbed Habitat Statement.
Key References
London Mammal Group (1998). Greater London Water Vole (Arvicola terrestris) Survey. London.
Strachan, C, Strachan R & Jefferies, DJ (2000). Preliminary Report on the changes in the water vole population of Britain as shown by the National Surveys of 1989-90 and 1996-98. VWT, London.
Strachan R (1998). Water Vole Conservation Handbook. EA, WildCRU, EN Oxford.
UK Water Vole Steering Group (1997). Species Action Plan for the UK: Water Vole, Arvicola terrestris EA.
Abbreviations
EA – Environment Agency
EN – English Nature 
GLA – Greater London Authority
LA – Local Authorities
LBBF – London Borough Biodiversity Forum
LNHS – London Natural History Society
LVRPA – Lee Valley Regional Park Authority	LWT - London Wildlife Trust 
RSPB – Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
TEP – Thames Estuary Partnership
WWT - Wildfowl and Wetland Trust
BWL – British Waterways London
LBRC – London Biological Records Centre	
Contact
The Lead for this species is London Wildlife Trust
Louise Wells
London Water Vole Project Officer
London Wildlife Trust
Ground Floor
200 Union Street
London SE1 0LW	Tel 020 7803 4284
Email lwells@wildlondon.org.uk
Web www.wildlondon.org.uk