Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission engineers working on the new Beauly to Denny power line have also found time to focus on the furrier things in life - protecting rare water voles along the new route.
Water voles, immortalised by Ratty in Wind in the Willows, are Britain’s fastest declining wild mammal. The chestnut brown furry voles live along rivers, streams and ditches, around ponds and lakes, and in marshes and areas of wet moorland. Evidence suggests that predation by American Mink is largely to blame for the falling numbers, but changeable weather and habitat loss are also causes.
With that in mind, the SHE Transmission environmental team have been working closely with Scottish Natural Heritage on agreeing a ‘protection plan’ to keep the voles safe and sound while construction goes on around them. The team have identified several areas with water vole populations located along the route of the new power line, and measures have been put in place to make sure the works have minimal impact on these rarely seen mammals.
Chris Meek, Environmental Project Manager for Beauly Denny, explained: “Our first task is to assess the water course we need to cross and identify the area with the lowest population of water vole present. To inform this decision our specialist ecologists have spent time monitoring the area, so we know exactly the stretch to utilise.
“At the crossing point we fence the area off and over an agreed time period carefully catch any voles living within it, before moving them up river to a similar, suitable environment. Once the works have been completed we will take the fencing down and let nature take its course.
“To date we’ve moved around 15 voles in three areas, mainly in the Drumochter region. We also have evidence that voles return to their original homes, which is great news,” Chris added.
Mike Shepherd, from Scottish Natural Heritage, said: “The survey works undertaken by SHE Transmission are providing valuable new information about water vole populations, and we very much welcome the extensive measures being taken to protect them from any harm during construction work. This comprehensive protection plan is an exemplar for others to follow.”