© Direct Ecology Ltd 2009, all rights reserved.

Water vole survey is likely to be required if a potential development site has a water course, pond or wetland area.  Water vole is now fully protected in England under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (from the 6^th April 2008).  Within Scotland the water vole’s places of shelter are protected, but not the animals themselves.  If works are planned that would affect water vole habitat full consultation is required with SNH (or Natural England). Our staff can undertake this on behalf of the client.  A full mitigation package will be required that may include timings of works, displacement and exclusion of water vole and habitat creation. Our staff have experience surveying and designing mitigation strategies for water vole.  Survey is normally carried out between April and September and this seasonal constraint means that the species should be considered at an early stage.

Development affecting water vole habitat is not able to be licensed, but to avoid committing an offence, reasonable steps must be taken to minimise damage to water vole habitat or, ideally, avoid it altogether by sensitive scheme design. Where damage is unavoidable, mitigation is likely to include 'exclusion' of water voles from the working area as well as habitat creation and restoration. Trapping and translocation of water voles is normally considered only as a last resort.

 

Water Vole