Water Vole Surveys

Contact Us
By Greg Hitchcock

Water Vole

Water Vole are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981 (as amended).

Water Vole are therefore protected, making it an offence to:  

  • Deliberately kill, injure and sale
  • Intentionally damage or obstruct the access to any structure or place which water vole use for shelter or protection.

Water Vole can be affected by works including:

  • Any watercourse within or adjacent to a proposed development site.

The best time of year to conduct surveys can be found in our ecology calendar.

If your Preliminary Ecological Appraisal has highlighted concerns about water vole within your site - you may need the surveys listed down below:

Adonis Blue will work with you to carry out the necessary surveys for your site.

Call Adonis Blue on 01622 357 821 or email hello@adonisblue.org.uk to arrange a quote

Water Vole Surveys

Here are the main types of water vole surveys used in development contexts:

Habitat Suitability Assessments

  • Purpose: To determine the habitat suitability for water vole
  • Method: Recording and mapping key features such as bank material, amount and type of marginal vegetation, amount of shading from trees, water depth and width, flow velocity, channel substrate and presence of pollution and disturbance.
  • Timings: Can be done in winter to determine presence but presence/absence surveys in Mid-April and September are needed to confirm presumed absence
  • Number of surveys: One visit

Presence/Absence Surveys

  • Purpose: To determine the presence/absence of water vole.
  • Method: Systematic search for characteristic water vole field signs (droppings, latrines, burrows, runs, footprints, feeding signs, ground nests), upstream and downstream, at least 2m from the banks
  • Timings: Mid-April to September
  • Number of surveys: 2 visits - one mid-April to June and one from July to September

Obtain a protected species license

To obtain a water vole licence for development, you need to apply for a water vole mitigation licence from the relevant statutory nature conservation body.

This licence is legally required if your development will disturb water vole or damage/destroy a known burrow.

Our team can help you secure a water vole migration licence and ensure all necessary mitigation is done.