April 2025 saw the start of our involvement with the collaboration between SDNPA and PTES to record signs of water voles along the River Meon. RMCV is tasked to survey 8-10 sites from Warnford to St Clairs during April to June. So far, the signs are largely encouraging, although more mixed in areas not specifically managed for wildlife.
Our AGM was held in Droxford in March, which was very well attended by volunteers as well as representatives of SDNPA and HIWWT
In March the team continued to carry out regular River Fly and Water Quality Monitoring. Among other invertebrates we found emerald damselfly larvae, olives, flat bodied upwings, gammerus, cased and caseless caddis, stoneflies, mayfly, blue winged olives and hog lice.
In February the team were at Meon Springs, coppicing willow in the wetland area.
We were invited to help with some hazel coppicing by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, to help the management of the woods and provide materials for restoring damaged river banks.
Rafts and floats along the river are checked regularly for signs of other mammals such as otter, as well as water voles, but specifically to monitor for American Mink, a species that has over the last half century or so been responsible at least in part for a rapid decline in much water bird and small mammal life on the Meon …
Two water vole surveys have been conducted in the Droxford area to establish the presence or absence of water voles, since they were re-introduced to the river a decade ago. Further surveys are planned for 2025.
Pam was asked by one of our main sponsors, Winchester City Council, to make a video about the RMCV for their Facebook feed. Follow the link below to see the video. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/oKwaSYAh6fEFjRta/
During the months of June to August 2024, 13 different volunteers went out on 11 occasions to various sites along the River Meon and spent a total of 88 hours pulling invasive Himalayan Balsam from the banks of the river. In addition, invasive monkey flower was identified during a water vole survey and subsequently removed by volunteers working alongside the …
At the moment three sites are monitored by RMCV for both river life and chemicals, specifically to track river health. Firstly, coordinated by the SDNPA, we accurately count eight invertebrate species, including fresh water shrimps, Mayflies larvae, Caddis fly larvae etc by ‘kick sampling’ and the results are submitted to the Anglers Riverfly Monitoring Initiative data bank, managed by Cartographer. …
