A landmark water vole recovery project was launched by Kent Wildlife Trust, on the internationally important wetland region of the North Kent Marshes – the first coordinated effort to monitor and protect the water vole in this area.
Natural England contacted us, as young grass seedlings had been decimated by rabbits and the deadline for the release of the returning water voles was getting ever closer.
The solution, developed through discussions with the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) and ecologists, was to install hessian sheets, over seed and cover with horticultural fleece to create a protected microclimate to speed up the germination, growth and successful establishment of the banks before the reintroduction of the water voles.
This protected microclimate not only sheltered the grass from the harsh wind on the Isle of Sheppey but also prevented the rabbits from eating the grass until it was established and strong enough to grow away.