Fund for water voles
IN RESPONSE to an appeal by Canal & River Trust, People's Postcode Lottery are to fund £25,000 to help water voles along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.
This means a team from the Trust and the Lancashire Wildlife Trust will be going out on the towpath to survey a 12 miles stretch of the Rufford Branch of the canal between Tarleton and Burscough to identify where support for the water vole is needed.
Once common and widespread, water vole populations have declined in recent years largely as a result of habitat loss and predation by mink. They are now a protected species and although still found in and around the waterways, most vole colonies have become small and isolated with their UK population falling since the 1970s.
Soften the banks
Stephen Leigh, Canal & River Trust Ecologist, explains:
"We surveyed this area in 2008 for water voles, and found that they were living along the canal but their colonies were isolated by the varied landscape of the canal banks. We need to update this survey so we can then plan where we need to soften the engineered canal banks and plant them with vegetation to connect up any existing water vole areas to enable them to thrive along the water corridor.
Following the survey work, more volunteers will be needed to help carry out the habitat enhancements which are vital to provide food and shelter for these furry creatures and to provide a green corridor to enable them to disperse.
Willing volunteers who would like to help deliver the habitat enhancements for water voles should email: