Scottish Government

Water Voles occur sporadically throughout mainland Scotland in a variety of riparian and wetland habitats. They are particularly vulnerable to predation from introduced American mink and may benefit from strategic mink control programmes.

The requirements for this species are:

• Retention of wetland and freshwater habitats
• Pollution prevention
• Avoid heavily shaded banks
• Appropriate maintenance of ditches and field drains
• Control of mink populations is very important

You should choose which of the following Options will help deliver the outcome you have selected.

We suggest the following Options may all be appropriate.

Some Options will always deliver the desired outcomes. Other Options will only help to achieve the desired outcome in specific circumstances. If you choose any Option for this Package, the application system will ask you to explain how you see this Option helping to achieve the outcome.

You can select as many, or as few, Options as you think you will need. You must judge which Options will most effectively deliver the desired outcomes taking account of your circumstances.

These Options will always deliver the desired outcome:

• Management of wetland

These Options will help to achieve the desired outcome in specific circumstances.

• Arable reversion to grassland
• Buffer areas for fens and lowland raised bogs
• Create, restore and manage wetland
• Information & awareness - interpretation
• Information & awareness - publications & other media
• Management of flood plains
• Management of habitat mosaics
• Scrub and tall herb communities
• Skills development - group training
• Skills development - individual training
• Sustainable Management of Forests - LISS
• Sustainable Management of Forests - Native woodlands
• Water margins and Enhanced Riparian Buffer Areas - enhance biodiversity
• Water margins and Enganced Riparian Buffer Areas - reduce diffuse pollution
• Woodland creation - Native woodland - natural regeneration
• Woodland creation - Native woodland planting
• Woodland Improvement Grant - woodland habitats and species
• Woodland Improvement Grant - non-woodland habitats

List of links to relevant technical guidance

A list of the species from this group that are listed as Priority Species in UK Biodiversity Action Plan and/or included in the Species Action Framework for Scotland

A list of the Habitats that are listed within UK Biodiversity Action Plan and/or included in the Species Action Framework for Scotland

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