bat surveys yorkshire
Water voles

Drainage ditch supporting water voleThe ecologists at Oatlands Ecology are experienced water vole surveyors.   
We can:
• Determine at an early stage whether a development is likely to have an impact on water voles
• Carry out water vole surveys
• Design and execute mitigation to offset impacts to water voles
• Prepare Method Statements to prevent impacts to water voles
• Successfully apply for water vole conservation licences

Ecology
Water voles occur mainly along well vegetated banks of slow flowing rivers, canals and large ditches as well as lakes and reservoirs where they feed on bankside vegetation.  Once common throughout the UK they have undergone a catastrophic decline due to predation by the non native American mink compounded by habitat loss and fragmentation.

Legislation
Water voles are fully protected under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981, listed as a Species of Principal Importance under Section 41 of the NERC Act 2006 and are a UK Biodiversity Action Plan Priority Species.  It is an offence to kill, capture or disturb water voles and local planning authorities have a legal duty to consider impacts to water voles as a result of any development close to water prior to granting planning permission.

See our Survey Calendar for optimal survey and mitigation times