The Trust, in partnership with the Ver Valley Society and a number of private landowners, reintroduced the nation’s beloved Water Vole to a stretch of the River Ver to the west of St Albans in August 2021, after the small mammals had been absent for a period of 34 years. This was made possible with funding from the Debs Foundation and Linder Foundation.

Since the 2021 release of the 150 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. Full surveys have taken place in each of the two years following the release, the first data collected in 2022 reported a 238% increase in range along the river and its watercourses, whilst this year’s findings show the Water Vole occupancy in the Ver Valley, has on average, more than doubled each year.

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 Ver, testament to the private landowners 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 Ver Valley Society, whose volunteers have been instrumental in this project from the early planning stages of the reintroduction. Indeed, many of those are now trained Water Vole Surveyors and continue to be guardians of both the river and the species.

“Water Voles are now occupying almost all of the River Ver between St Albans and Redbourn, with some travelling an additional 4.8km upstream. This year we counted more Water Vole field signs than the previous year and I’m thrilled to be able to share this amazing success story.”

Water voles were once abundant in rivers throughout Hertfordshire, but populations have declined by over 90% 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 have Water Voles back in every river in Hertfordshire by 2030. To achieve this, they are looking for future reintroductions but these will only be possible with funding therefore if anyone would like to help fund, the Trust would be delighted to hear from them. Likewise, if you are a landowner with a watercourse and would like to discuss the suitability of Water Vole reintroduction on your land, please get in touch with the Trust by emailing info@hmwt.org