By woodlandstv

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In this film by outdoors filmmaker Olivia Wines, we meet Darren Tansley from the Wildlife Trust. Darren is in charge or helping restore and protect the waterways in Essex, and most notably the population of the native Water Voles. Water Voles have encountered a huge population decrease due to shrinking water ways, land development, and most importantly- it's predator Mink.

Darren takes us through the many ways we can help preserve this key stone species, such as going out into the reeds and monitoring the habits of water voles. By giving us tips on how we can spot and find them, we can tell whether they are popular in the area, and therefore whether our restoration efforts are working. By recording this data, it makes valuable evidence to secure funding bids to promote the issue that Water Voles are slowly decimating, and need our help!

Feeling inspired and motivated by Stewart to consider buying your own woodland? If so, https://www.woodlands.co.uk has some wonderful woodlands for sale throughout the UK

Many thanks to Russell Savory for our water voles footage