Water Voles are coming home!
Visitors will soon be able to enjoy the
thrill and excitement of spotting the rare and elusive water vole
at Brandon Marsh Nature Reserve. On 1st September, Warwickshire
Wildlife Trust in partnership with Middlemarch Environmental
Limited and Biffaward will be releasing 200 endangered
water voles onto the Reserve.
View a video of the release on YouTube at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGl9OpKFy8E if
you cannot see the one above
This is the 'next' phase in the development
of this important wildlife reserve. Decades of work by the
Trust and the Brandon Marsh Volunteers has converted a former
gravel quarry into the ideal marshland habitat for a wide range of
wild species - including water voles. But because these cute
mammals are so rare they will need a helping hand in order to
benefit from the habitat that has been created.
The water vole, made famous in the
children's classic story, Wind in the Willows, is the UK's
fastest declining mammal - so threatened that it is now completely
protected by legislation. Populations of water voles have been
steadily declining in the UK due to a number of factors including
the loss of habitat, pollution and predation.
The project will help conserve these
special animals which have declined rapidly to leave only a few
populations in Warwickshire. But the project is not just
about conservation: it's also about research and finding out more
about their habits. So to find out more, scientists will be
fitting a number of the water voles with radio trackers (funded by
Aston University) so that they can be followed so that we can find
out where and when they disperse.
"It is hoped that if we establish a
strong and successful breeding population here at Brandon, the
water voles will disperse and help repopulate former water vole
sites within Warwickshire" says Jemma Gaskin, Principal
Ecologist at Middlemarch Environmental Ltd (Warwickshire Wildlife
Trust's ecological consultancy) who is leading the research and
release programme.
Jemma continued: "The release project
is part of a research study into water vole conservation including
habitat re-creation/reinstatement. The project involves four
sites across the Midlands since 2009 thanks to funding from
Biffaward in partnership with Severn Trent Water, Middlemarch
Environmental Ltd and Warwickshire Wildlife Trust. Our aim is
to significantly increase the water vole population in the Coventry
and Warwickshire area, which has been declining since the
1960s."
The project is also supported by the Environment Agency, Natural England, local landowners and
the Brandon Marsh Voluntary
Conservation Team. Giles Matthews, Biodiversity Officer
at the Environment Agency said "We are delighted to be
providing financial support and advice to this project., which will
help to ensure that the released water voles as well as the
existing water voles in Coventry thrive for future
generations"
Stephen Trotter, Chief Executive of
Warwickshire Wildlife Trust said: "This is such an exciting
project - the news about water voles has been really depressing in
recent years as their numbers have plummeted across the UK - so
it's makes a refreshing change to have a good news story.
Water voles are missing from much of Coventry and Warwickshire -
they should be here and people should have the opportunity to see
them in the wild."
"The good thing about Brandon is the
high quality and successful habitat restoration work which has been
undertaken by volunteers over the last few decades. This
really is the "big society" in action and that we can now release
voles here is testament to the brilliant work of the dedicated team
of Brandon Marsh volunteers and staff who have worked so hard to
enhance the reserve."
It is hoped the findings from this release
and the research study will provide important new information about
water voles that will aid and encourage similar projects in the
future.
The 200 water voles being released have
been bred by nationally-recognised expert Derek Gow of consultants
Derek Gow Associates. Derek has experience of introducing
water voles across the UK. He added: "Brandon Marsh nature
reserve will be an excellent demonstration site for water vole
conservation and training in the future and could inspire wider
catchment efforts for the species. It is hoped the research taking
place here will highlight the importance of water vole conservation
and encourage other groups to undertake similar projects."
Biffaward who sponsored the project said:
"The wildlife and habitats that make up our natural environment
must be protected, which is why Biffaward is delighted to support
organisations like Warwickshire Wildlife Trust who work tirelessly
to conserve and protect areas like this. The work carried out at
Brandon Marsh will bring huge benefits to many important species,
as well as the newly released water voles."
ENDS
Contact us to arrange a photo
opportunity on the release date of 6 September
Press contact: Stephen
Trotter
Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, Brandon Marsh
Nature Centre, Brandon Lane, Coventry, Warwickshire, CV3 3GW
Telephone: 024 7630 2912 Mobile: 07824 542324
Email: Stephen.trotter@wkwt.org.uk
Or Sue Pybus 024 7630
8973
Notes to Editors
Warwickshire Wildlife Trust is a voluntary
charity which works for people and wildlife. The Trust looks
after 56 reserves in Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull. We
have more than 23,000 members and promote a better natural
environment for local wildlife and local people. For more
information see www.warwickshire-wildlife-trust.org.uk.
There are 47 Wildlife Trusts across the whole
of the UK. We are working for an environment rich in wildlife for
everyone. We are the largest UK voluntary organisation dedicated to
conserving the full range of the UK's habitats and species, whether
they be in the countryside, in cities or at sea. 150,000 of our
members belong to our junior branch, Wildlife Watch. We manage
2,256 nature reserves covering more than 90,000 hectares.
In 1997 Biffa Waste Services agreed to donate
landfill tax credits to the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT)
to administer under the fund name Biffaward.
Grants made from the fund currently amount to over £100 million,
supporting many worthwhile projects. Biffa is a leading integrated
waste management business providing collection, treatment,
recycling and technology-driven energy generation services. Biffa
promotes and delivers sustainable waste management solutions for
commercial and municipal. The landfill tax came
into operation in 1996. Its purpose is to reflect the impact
of landfill on the environment and also to help achieve the targets
for more sustainable waste management. The tax, levied on the
tonnage of all material disposed of in landfill sites and collected
by Biffa on behalf of HM Revenue and Customs, aims to encourage
recycling and reduce waste by raising the cost of disposal. The
regulations allow landfill site operators to direct approximately
6% of the tax they have collected towards approved environmental
projects. However, any approved project can only receive 90% of its
desired funding from the landfill tax. The remainder must come
direct from the landfill site operator or from a third party
organisation or company. www.biffaward.org
The Water Vole, Arvicola amphibius,
is the UK's largest native vole, weighing between 140-350g and
measuring 20cm long (head and body) with a 10cm long tail.
Brown rats and water voles are often mistaken for each other as
they are similar sized animals, often found in the same
habitat. To distinguish between the two: rats have a long,
hairless and scaly tail with very obvious large ears and a sharp
pointed nose; a water vole's tail is short and hairy, only half the
length of its body, the ears are almost invisible under its fur and
the face has a generally more rounded, chubby appearance.
Warwickshire Wildlife Trust owns and manages
Brandon Marsh Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) Nature
Reserve which is located a few miles from Coventry. Brandon
Marsh SSSI consists 92 hectares, (228 acres) of wetland mosaic
boasting extensive reedbed habitat covering 30ha. In addition
to the habitat mosaic which attracts a host of different wildlife,
Brandon Marsh is also the head quarters of Warwickshire Wildlife
Trust, housing a visitor centre, classroom and office
building. It attracts over 30,000 visitors a year who come to
enjoy and learn about their local wildlife.