Langorse Lake

Llangorse Lake is the second largest water body in the Brecon Beacons National Park. It has a circumference of 5 miles, a total area of 327 acres and is one mile long. It is relatively low lying at 154 m above sea level and fringed with 10.2 hectares of extensive reed beds, with species rich grassland and woodland dominated by Alder and Willow. Llangorse Lake was created by glacial movements during the last Ice age. In 2009 the Environment Agency proposed the reintroduction of water voles into the lakes surrounding environment. This project had to encompass the water courses which flowed into the lake on surrounding land. It required the support of local farmers and landowners in order to create new habitat through the creation of pool and ditch networks which were fenced to exclude livestock. A comprehensive programme of mink control had removed the presence of this species from the lake and its feeder streams by early 2009 allowing the first water vole release to proceed in May 2009.

This was followed with further releases in August 2009, May 2010 and again in August 2010. Colonies of water voles were released on the lake itself and into nearby farmland. The project attracted significant media interest and was assisted by local volunteers of the Brecon Wildlife Trust who assisted the release team with every release. In May 2010 a survey of the primary release sites was carried out by trained volunteers and staff from the DGC. Water vole signs were found throughout the survey area. http://www.environment- agency.gov.uk/pagenotfound.aspx?aspxerror path=/news/119728.aspx