Tweed Water Vole Initiative

The status of water voles (Arvicola terrestris), a UK Priority Species and key indicator of good riparian habitat, is not well known across the Scottish Borders. In fact over the past 20 years, only 13 casual sightings have been reported and recorded with the Scottish Borders Biological Record Centre (SBBRC). Added to this, no systematic survey purely to determine the status of water voles in the region has been undertaken; thus determining future research and monitoring is difficult.

Encouragingly, several new populations have recently been found in widely scattered parts of the Scottish Borders. This indicates that there is cause for optimism, despite the well documented catastrophic decline in national numbers over the past 15 years (Strachan et al, 2000).

The water vole is a UK Priority Species in the National Biodiversity Action Plans, and also a Scottish Borders LBAP species, recognised in the Rivers and Burns Habitat Action Plan. The Tweed Catchment Management Plan consultation process showed that there was a real need to address the decline and lack of knowledge surrounding water voles (Action 3.1.2.1). Until there is better information on populations and their distribution, it is difficult to convince land managers and agencies with a role in funding rural projects or activities, of the need for appropriate management of water courses.

The aim of the project is:

1. To find out whether there are populations of water voles in a limited number of specific suitable areas;

2. To use the survey results as a training base to enthuse and educate local people in small mammal ecology; particularly by making use of existing enthusiastic community wildlife groups and wildlife officers/rangers;

3. To use the survey results to inform future habitat work within the Tweed catchment.

The project will be carried out on behalf of the Scottish Borders LBAP Partnership, specifically the Wetlands Habitat Action Plan Group; and supervised by Tweed Forum, one of the partners with a long track record in delivering projects. The management, compilation and reporting of the data will be carried out by the SBBRC with further input from Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS). All these groups will form part of the project steering group which will take the project forward.

Surveying and training will be contracted to specialists, with preference given to Scottish ecology companies. It is hoped that such an approach will provide the first phase of measures to protect and enhance the water vole population in the Scottish Borders as well as provide a core of enthusiastic trained local people skilled in small mammal biological recording.

It is also hoped that the results from the surveying aspect of the project will contribute towards building up a more comprehensive picture of water vole status and distribution throughout Scotland; and help confirm the findings of other surveys such as the work carried out in the Grampian Region, which suggests that populations of water voles in upland regions appear to be healthier due to reduced predation and little habitat disturbance (Raynor, 2002).

By training and educating local people in small mammal ecology, not only is expertise and training being acquired locally, but the foundation for future monitoring and research is also being ensured for the longer term. This will in turn help to address actions as identified within the UK water vole Species Action Plan. Some of these actions include:-

1. Identifying viable breeding populations of water voles and retaining these populations with appropriate management and monitoring;

2. Ensuring that the relative status and distribution of water vole is monitored through repeats of the national baseline survey together with general catchment-based surveys in each region to determine the extent of the water vole population and level of fragmentation of suitable habitat;

3. Continue existing and establish new national research initiatives on the ecology and conservation requirements of water voles;

4. Encourage the submission of data collated on a local level to LRC or BRC for incorporation into a national database, and to facilitate easier access to information.

It is hoped that good evidence of water vole populations and their habitat is found in the Scottish Borders. Appropriate management and locally developed guidance can then be targeted to relevant advisory groups, statutory agencies and land managers to raise awareness based on the assumption that there are likely to be populations in similar environments.

More importantly, analysis of the water voles habitat preferences will help guide future habitat work. Tweed Forum is developing a large scale wetland and riparian habitat restoration project and information on the requirements of key species is essential if we are to carry out effective habitat works with long lasting benefits for key species such as voles.

Whilst some priority species such as salmon have a great deal of attention and research directed at them, there is a real need to address the apparent gap in the knowledge of one our most important and charismatic of small mammals.

This project will also have fundamental capacity building benefits in that it will enable and facilitate a local identification network that will provide increased knowledge of the species in the long term.

References:

• Raynor, R. 2002. Water voles in the Highlands. An undiscovered refuge? British Wildlife 13 (4) p255-257.

• Strachan, C., Strachan, R. & Jeffries, D.J. 2000. Preliminary report on the changes in the water vole population of Britain as shown by the National surveys of 1989-90 and 1996-1998.

• The Vincent Wildlife Trust, London.

Summary of Project Outcomes (Spring 2009)

• Surveys in 2006 and 2007 identified possible or actual water vole presence at only three sites in the surveyed areas of East Lammermuirs, Gordon/Greenlaw, Peebles, Ettrick, Newcastleton and Morebattle.

• A social survey of Borders communities in an attempt to establish both present-day and historical locations of water voles has, to date, elicited only a small number of returns.

• Awareness of water voles and the issues facing this endangered native mammal was raised through the Scottish Borders region.

• The steering group felt that it was not appropriate to pursue a water vole reintroduction policy at this time.

If anyone has any information relating to signs or sightings, either current or historical, they should contact the Scottish Borders Biological Records Centre, tel: 01835 820405.