Tarbock Hall is a 86 hectare parcel of land west of Liverpool on which developers intend to restore the dilapidated farm buildings as luxury houses, and also create a golf course.
UES has been involved in numerous surveys on site including bat surveys, National Vegetation Classification surveys (NVC), invertebrate surveys, breeding bird surveys, great crested newt surveys and water vole surveys. As part of the on-going ecological management of the site additional ecological surveys and monitoring were recommended to our client, one being water vole.
UES returned this year to conduct further water vole surveys in order to monitor the local population. The results were positive as various water vole field signs were found including, latrines, feeding remains and burrows. Other notable wildlife includes a moorhen’s nest which was found within a reed bed.
Discussions are now taking place on how best to increase water vole occupancy on site by way of appropriate management of invasive species and dominant vegetation, creation of additional wetland habitats and increased connectivity measures.