One year on from Water Voles being reintroduced to the River Beane at Watton-at-Stone, Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust has announced that the endangered mammals are thriving and evidence shows they are spreading south towards Hertford.

The Trust, in collaboration with the Woodhall Estate and with much support from the River Beane Restoration Association (RBRA), reintroduced the nation’s beloved Water Vole to a stretch of the River Beane running through the Woodhall Estate in July last year. This was made possible with funding from the Government's Green Recovery Challenge Fund.

Since the 2022 release of 138 Water Voles, Josh Kalms, the Trust’s lead on Water Vole reintroductions, has headed up a team of Water Vole Surveyor Volunteers, who have been trained to look for field signs of Water Vole occupation, including latrines and feeding sites. A full survey has taken place this summer and the first data collected shows that the Water Voles are thriving and that their range along the River Beane is increasing.

Josh Kalms, Water Vole Officer at Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust said:

“Water Voles are a key species in wetland ecosystems and their actions are important for maintaining healthy wetland ecosystems – they are mini ecosystem engineers with their burrowing and feeding helping our river banks and wetlands stay in good condition.

“It’s wonderful to see how well the Water Voles are doing on the River Beane, testament to the private landowner who saw the ecological benefit of the reintroduction and all the hard work that went in to managing the habitat prior to their release. For that, I must extend huge thanks to the River Beane Restoration Association’s volunteers, who between 2017 and 2018 helped us to survey the River Beane to ensure that the habitat was still suitable for Water Voles and also to Affinity Water, who restored this section of the river prior to the release. Successful campaigning by the RBRA to reduce the quantity of water taken from the river enabled the reintroduction to take place. During the release their volunteers continued to play a vital role, settling the voles into their new surroundings. Many of them are now trained Water Vole Surveyors and continue to be guardians of both the river and the species.”

Nick Fox, Head of Wildlife, Environment and Forestry at Woodhall Estate said:

“It is great to have the Water Voles back on the River Beane. This successful introduction aligns with Woodhall Estate’s nature, conservation and generation work within the local community. These are crucial times when more efforts should be made to support and reverse the decline of so many species of wildlife in this country. This project demonstrates what can be gained with good habitat management, planning and surveying in advance of the release. Most importantly, it shows that with the enhanced enthusiasm and cohesion of different organisations, we can achieve so much to benefit wildlife when we all work together.

“We have a continual programme of habitat improvement and schemes across Woodhall Estate with the aim to benefit a range of wildlife, including plans for river restoration and wetland habitat creation, which should create a larger range for Water Voles and other wildlife to colonise in the future.”

Water Voles were once abundant in rivers throughout Hertfordshire, but populations in England have declined by 95% in the last 50 years due to habitat loss and because they are being preyed upon by American Mink, an invasive, non-native species. Water Voles are the fastest declining mammal in the country and face extinction. Local increases in the population have been noted in recent years where habitats have been improved or through carefully planned reintroduction programmes.

Water Voles are part of a wider decline in our wild species and habitats across the UK. In Hertfordshire, one-fifth of the wildlife assessed in Hertfordshire’s State of Nature Report, published by the Trust in 2020, is currently either locally extinct or threatened with extinction. Habitat loss and fragmentation have sent populations plummeting. The report concludes that at least 30% of land must be protected for wildlife in order to combat the ecological and climate crisis.

Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust is aiming to secure thriving populations of Water Voles on every river in Hertfordshire by 2030. To achieve this, they are assessing where future reintroductions could take place. These will only be possible with funding therefore if you  would like to help fund such crucial work, the Trust would be delighted to hear from you. Likewise, if you are a landowner with a watercourse and would like to discuss the feasibility of a Water Vole reintroduction on your land, please get in touch with the Trust by emailing info@hmwt.org