Being nationally scarce, reedbeds are a priority Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) habitat. There are around 5,000 hectares of reedbed in the UK (and about 900 sites). Cornwall has 150 hectares of reedbed (about 49 sites) which constitute three per cent of the UK total. UK reedbeds are geographically significant in a global context, being in the extreme west of Europe. Cornish reedbeds are therefore particularly important strategically - as are those of the Isles of Scilly, being some 28 miles further west of the mainland. Reedbeds have been proposed as a last refuge for water voles. The water vole is itself a priority national BAP species and is the fastest-declining mammal in Britain. In 2000 we carried out the first ever county survey of the water vole: no positive signs of it were recorded in Cornwall. The biggest threats to reedbeds are lack of biological information and lack of management.	There is a need to carry out a reedbed "health check" in Cornwall to determine how good our reedbeds are. Their value in both wildlife and commercial terms is affected by their condition. A Reedbed Project is being funded by the Environment Agency, The Wildlife Trusts, the Pennon Group (Viridor Waste Management and South West Water), English Nature and Imerys. Project Officer Dave Salmon aims to survey all the reedbeds in the county, collate records of notable species, provide advice to landowners, produce information leaflets, identify potential restoration and re-creation sites and hold a reedbed workshop in the autumn. If you would like more information about the Reedbed Project please call the Otters and Rivers Project team at the Cornwall Wildlife Trust on (01872) 245514. Kate Stokes
	Main photo: reedbed at sunset by Mike Read. Photos left to right: heron by JB and S Bottomley; Red Moor by M Wall; harvest mouse by JB and S Bottomley; water vole by Rob Strachan.