The project, which runs until March 2025, is investing £491,740 in a range of measures to restore and create vital wetland habitat to support the species; boosting water vole numbers, and a targeted programme of mink control across 900 hectares of wetland habitat and more than 50km of rivers. Using lessons from successes in other projects the Trust aims to restore water vole populations in at least three catchments across the county (Erewash, Sherwood Forest and Idle).  

Earlier this week, the water voles, specially bred by a team led by Jenny Tratt, Water Vole Specialist at Derek Gow Consultancy, were introduced into a 58 hectare enclosure – originally created to enable the reintroduction of beavers in 2021 - at Idle Valley Nature Reserve.  

Speaking about the release, Gary Cragg – Nottinghamshire Water Vole Project Manager explained: 

“Our beaver enclosure at the Idle Valley Nature Reserve provides a unique setting to establish an Ark site for water voles to enable us to bring these important and valuable mammals back. In time, we hope they will disperse from the Ark site across the whole 375 hectares of the reserve and along the River Idle.” 

In preparation for the release, the charity has been delivering targeted mink control and habitat creation within the Idle catchment. In addition, staff have been controlling mink on 3 rivers in the Sherwood Forest area and also the River Erewash and improving habitats to help rebuild dwindling and fragmented water vole populations at sites including the charity’s Attenborough Nature Reserve which sits at the confluence of the River Erewash and River Trent.  The habitat enhancement works are also supported by funds from Severn Trent.  

It is widely acknowledged that the water vole is the UK’s fastest declining mammal. Surveys for the species in Nottinghamshire last year found them to be almost entirely absent from sites where they were recorded historically. This local evidence, plus continued pressure on water vole populations across the UK and their recent extinction in some counties, underlines that urgent and concerted action is needed to prevent this charismatic and important mammal being lost from Nottinghamshire.  

Speaking on behalf of Natural England, Karen Shelley-Jones, Species Recovery Programme Manager said:

“It is enormously pleasing to work with partners like Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust to deliver action to recover our threatened species. This is one of several projects we are supporting to tackle the impact of Invasive Non-Native Species on our native wildlife. A carefully coordinated programme of habitat enhancement, mink control, licensed captive rearing and thorough health checks was needed to get to this stage. Strategic joint working across organisations is so important to help us address the Environment Act target to reduce the risk of species’ extinction.”

Speaking about the project, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust’s Head of Nature Recovery (North) Janice Bradley MBE said: 

“The evidence is stark and clear, without urgent action, the future for water voles in our county is bleak and we risk losing this much-loved species forever from Nottinghamshire. The support of Natural England’s Species Recovery Capital Grant Scheme and Severn Trent has finally given us the resources to match our long-held ambitions. After months of hard work reducing mink numbers and improving habitat to support water voles and other wetland species; it is so exciting to be able to carry out the county’s first ever mass release of water voles.”  

The Trust also expects the project to provide the foundations for a county-wide recovery programme in the years ahead and is currently seeking funds to support the project for next year.