Water Vole Survey Oxfordshire

Glade Ecology undertake water vole surveys throughout Oxfordshire and the surrounding area.

Our team of expert ecologists can help guide your project through the planning process. By working closely with our clients, we ensure that their developments progress smoothly and in full compliance with the law, orchestrating the best possible outcome for them and the natural world.

Considering ecological issues early on in the planning process can help ensure that potentially costly and time-consuming delays are avoided.

What is a water vole survey?

Water voles are found along the banks of rivers, streams, ditches, ponds, lakes and a variety of wetland habitats throughout much of Britain, though they are absent in parts of south-west England and Wales, northern England and Scotland, and scarce throughout upland areas. The British population has endured a long term decline, disappearing from 94% of their former sites, primarily due to a combination of habitat loss and degradation, and the introduction of the predatory American mink. They are protected under UK law, making it an offence of kill, capture, or disturb them, though their habitat is not specifically protected. Works affecting water voles are subject to licensing procedures. 

Where water courses, ditches, ponds, lakes, wetland habitats and associated riparian vegetation are deemed likely to be affected by project proposals, a water vole survey may be required, which aims to establish the presence/ likely absence, and distribution of water vole territories on site. The appraisal is used to inform the emerging scheme design, enabling significant ecological effects within the zone of influence to be avoided, mitigated, or compensated for, where necessary. This ensures the continued favourable conservation status of water voles, post development, and ultimately compliance with nature conservation legislation and planning policy. 

There are two types of water vole survey, comprising Habitat Suitability Assessments (HSAs) and presence/ likely absence surveys. HSAs involve assessing the likelihood of water vole presence within habitats, generally based on eight indices: vegetation composition (species diversity); vegetation structure; and ecological connectivity to the wider landscape. A habitat score is derived from the combined totals, with higher scores equating to more optimal suitability. If the assessment indicates that the features are unsuitable or population sinks, they can be scoped out of the study. However, sub-optimal or optimal scores may necessitate further targeted survey.

Presence/ likely absence surveys involve systematically traversing a section of watercourse, margins of a water body, or area of wetland, searching for evidence of water vole activity, and attempting to interpret the population size and distribution, where present. The survey typically encompasses a 2m buffer of riparian habitat, either side of the water feature, and extends 100m along suitable habitat beyond the site. The field survey is typically supplemented by a desk study, utilising maps and aerial photographs of the surrounding area to identify ecological connectivity, and published records of water voles, purchased from the local records centre.

Requirements for any necessary avoidance, mitigation, or compensation measures will be identified, and opportunities for ecological enhancement will be outlined, to integrate on-site biodiversity net gain into the scheme at an early stage, where possible.​ If the proposals are deemed likely to adversely affect water voles, a mitigation licence may be required, prior to the commencement of works.

Certain water vole surveys are seasonally constrained, making it prudent to plan ahead and consider ecological issues early on in the planning process. A robust water vole survey at an early stage in project planning and design can therefore deliver significant benefits, avoiding potentially costly and time-consuming delays.​

Though the presence of ecological constraints very rarely prevents a development from proceeding, avoidance, mitigation, or compensation measures may need to be implemented, to adequately negate adverse impacts to the site's ecological value. For more information about ecology surveys, click below.

Water Vole Survey

How Glade Ecology can help you

With over fifteen years' experience in undertaking ecological surveys, mitigation design, licensing, site supervision, and monitoring, our friendly team of expert ecologists can help guide your project through the planning process. By working closely with our clients and considering ecological issues early on, we can help ensure that potentially costly and time-consuming delays are avoided.

We pride ourselves on providing pragmatic, practical solutions for our clients, that not only ensure full compliance with wildlife legislation, but that achieve the best possible outcome, for both them and the natural world.

We undertake water vole surveys throughout Oxfordshire and the surrounding areas of Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Berkshire. For more information about the services that we provide, or to request a free quotation, please contact us below.

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