a water vole at the waters edge surrounded by vegetation

Major New Funding Secured to Protect South Yorkshire’s Endangered Species

Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust will lead groundbreaking research to safeguard water voles and also partner in a white-clawed crayfish project as part of a major government nature recovery initiative.

Rare wildlife across South Yorkshire will receive vital protection following a successful funding application for two major conservation projects. Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust will lead a pioneering research initiative focused on upland water voles, working alongside three leading universities. The Trust is also partnering in a national effort to save the endangered white-clawed crayfish. Both projects are funded through Natural England’s Species Recovery Programme, forming a key part of the UK Government’s Wild Again: Restoring England’s Wildlife initiative.

The funding arrives at a critical moment for local biodiversity. According to the UK State of Nature Report 2023, wildlife populations across the UK have declined by 19% since 1970, leaving one in six species at risk of extinction. The new investment aims to reverse these declines by backing targeted conservation work across the country.

Saving Ratty

The water vole research project, known as the Arvicola Project, has secured £134,397 to map and protect surviving populations across the 300-square-kilometre Sheffield Lakeland area, which stretches across north-west Sheffield into the Peak District National Park. These upland landscapes provide a crucial refuge for some of the last remaining water voles in South Yorkshire following severe habitat loss and predation by American mink in lowland rivers.

Water vole
Water vole ©Terry Whittaker 2020VISION
View of Bradfield Dale with lake in background
Bradfield Dale, credit Trevor Bagshaw

Over the next two years, the Trust and university partners will collect water samples for environmental DNA testing and use genetic tracking to understand how different groups are connected. A new app developed with technology firm ESRI UK will allow volunteers and scientists to record findings directly in the field, creating a standard model for upland water vole monitoring across the UK.

Keith Tomkins, Nature Recovery Development Manager at Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust, explained the significance of the project:

“Upland areas are difficult to access due to steep terrain and unpredictable weather, leaving many wildlife populations unmapped. This funding allows us to combine advanced genetic tools with field tracking to find exactly where water voles are surviving. The research will guide future habitat restoration and support the natural return of these animals to our river systems.”

A Lifeline for White-Clawed Crayfish

Alongside the water vole project, the Trust is part of a national initiative led by The Wildlife Trusts to protect the white-clawed crayfish. Key river ecosystem engineers and our largest native aquatic invertebrate, it is the only native crayfish in the UK and faces severe threats from habitat loss and non-native invasive species. Having declined by a staggering 70-80% in recent decades, this national effort will be a lifeline for the globally endangered species.

In South Yorkshire, the funding will help carry out surveys and set up ark sites (protected places where an endangered native species can thrive). 

White clawed crayfish
White clawed crayfish ©Linda Pitkin 2020VISION

Luke Nelson, the Trust’s Nature Recovery Species Officer, highlighted the collaborative effort:

“Securing this funding enables us to work closely with academic experts, landowners, and national organisations to protect our region’s most vulnerable species. Combining local fieldwork in South Yorkshire with national conservation strategies creates a strong path forward for nature recovery. We are determined to restore healthy, thriving freshwater habitats for wildlife and local communities.”

Natural England Chair, Tony Juniper, said:

“For decades Natural England’s vital species recovery work has revealed how even the rarest of the rare can be brought back from the brink. The red kite, lady’s slipper orchid, pool frog, beaver and large blue butterfly are among examples that demonstrate the many opportunities at hand and what can be achieved for nature and wider society.

“We know that good science and effective partnerships can help restore species to favourable status, and this funding will enable us to support many initiatives to help halt and reverse the decline of our wonderful wildlife.”

Project Partners: