Water voles have been pushed to the margins of Essex, mostly along the coast, but were once common along all our rivers. They are miniature ecological engineers, creating burrows and habitat niches for other plants and animals.

Essex Wildlife Trust has been at the core of water vole recovery since 2007 and managed to save the last water voles in our population by keeping mink numbers low in sensitive areas. Now, we are part of a regional-scale effort from the Humber to the Thames, removing mink and making our waterways safe for water voles and many other birds and animals. 

The story so far

We have been working for just under two decades to support water vole recovery in Essex and the wider region. Recent conservation efforts through this project have meant we have halved mink numbers in just 10 months. In 2023, Suffolk Wildlife Trust was declared a 'mink free region', and we are hoping that Essex isn't far behind, aiming to be virtually mink free by the end of 2026. 

How you can help

The Trust has partnered with People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES), Suffolk Wildlife Trust and Norfolk Wildlife Trust, to conduct surveys that record water vole sightings across the region. 

Register to take part in PTES's national water vole monitoring programme and conduct a survey. The surveys are open to anyone but if you haven't got any training, we're offering two free training sessions runs by our Wilder Rivers and Species Recovery Manager, Darren Tansley. 

Once you're signed up and trained, you'll be asked to conduct a survey in an area in Essex. A survey takes about an hour and only needs to be done once per year between mid-April and mid-June. 

If you're interested in one of our training dates on Friday 23 May at 10am or Monday 2 June at 2pm, please email darrent@essexwt.org.uk - we are still confirming locations for this training and will be emailing those who have expressed an interest when they are confirmed. 

Sign up to survey for water voles with PTES 

How to spot water voles in your local area