THE Water for Wildlife Partnership, a joint initiative between Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, Severn Trent Water, the Environment Agency and South Staffordshire Water is going from strength to strength delivering wetland conservation work in the Midlands.

The partnership is building on existing work on new wetland creation projects, surveying plants and animals under threat and working to reverse declines in wildlife.

A survey showed that 243 hectares of wetlands had been restored and 109 hectares created with support from the partnership. Otter populations were increasing, a good sign of improving water quality and fish stocks.

However, water vole populations were still declining and the predatory American mink were still at large.

Many ambitious projects are being carried out, including restoration of wetlands on the trust's own farm on Longdon Marsh, Tewkesbury, creation of wetlands from former mineral extraction sites, restoration of rivers that have historically been straightened, and creation of habitat for water voles and otters.