THEY are among Hampshire's most threatened flora and fauna - and could face extinction.

However, the hard work of the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust is helping to keep alive species such as the water vole, otter, smooth snake, tree sparrow and the rare reddish buff moth.

Otters are now regularly seen on five rivers in the county and Hampshire and the Isle of Wight has the largest population of water vole left in Britain, according to Graham Roberts, South East Otters and Rivers Project officer.

He added: "It is in part through the Wildlife Trust that we have managed to stabilise the populations of these endangered creatures."

The Trust has been fighting to protect these species and local habitats for more than 40 years. It is a fight that that has seen the Trust involved in one of the most divisive issues Hampshire has seen in recent years.

The proposed Dibden Bay development was billed as Southampton's future.

However, while the city council and business chiefs mourned the government's decision to reject plans for the £600m container terminal, opposing groups were ecstatic.

For the Trust it marked not just a few months' worth of campaigning but represented the culmination of nearly half a century of tireless effort.

The Trust had spent decades since its launch in 1960 collating data around Dibden Bay area to emphasise its importance as a nature area.

While the container port announcement came just after the organisation's annual review for 2003-04, it has been the most memorable event for bosses over the past few months.

Chief executive Rob Stoneman said: "The decision probably represents more than 40 years of work, as long as the organisation has been in existence. There were two main reasons why it was rejected. The first was because it wasn't considered of such national importance to overturn the Habitat Directive.

"We campaigned on the directive 15 years ago and campaigned for the area to become one of special scientific interest under the legislation.

"Secondly, the government inspector said there wasn't public support for the project.

"Now here was a huge economic development but people said that their quality of life was more important, and that birds, ducks and geese were important too.

"I think that reflects more than 40 years of action and promotion of saying that wildlife in Hampshire is really quite special."

Since its humble beginnings nearly 50 years ago, with just a handful of volunteers and members, the trust has grown from strength to strength.

It now boasts a team of more than 900 regular volunteers from across the region and a membership of more than 20,000 people.

The recently-published annual review of the Curdridge-based group outlines its success stories of a 12-month period from April last year.

While its landowner advice scheme may not have equalled the headlines of Dibden Bay, its role in preserving the county's wildlife in the years to come is just as important.

"Most of the wildlife of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight is outside the nature reserves," said Mr Stoneman.

"What we have been doing is building up our network of advisers to work with farmers and land managers, to give them advice on how they can improve their land for wildlife.

"Working with people who own land is very important to us.

"At the beginning of the year we had two advisors. We now have six and that has made a huge difference."

One of the new projects bosses are most proud of in its annual review is the opening of the Testwood Lakes Wildlife Reserve, on the outskirts in Totton.

Since opening last autumn, it immediately began taking bookings for a wide range of groups and activities.

"It's a fantastic example of sustainable development," said Mr Stoneman.

"It was basically a gravel pit turned into a reservoir to provide fresh water for the area.

"We worked with Southern Water on this to really extract maximum social and environmental benefit.

"It's a fabulous green space and an educational and environmental resource for the area.

It's a great place to visit, to watch birds, for sailing on the lake and has become an incredibly good resource and it's becoming really good for wildlife.

"In a climate of increasing development in the south-east, particularly in south Hampshire, Testwood Lakes points the way forward.

"If we are going to have all this development, there is a right way to do it."

While most Wildlife Trusts across the country only have to concentrate on land wildlife issues, the Hampshire and Isle of Wight team have to plough resources into marine conservation too.

One of its biggest schemes in recent months has focused on the impacts of aggregate dredging on seabed habitats and wildlife.

The region's marine conservation team, which is based at the HQ in Curdridge, has run a series of conferences and training events on the subject, working closely with the marine aggregates industry.

They have also co-ordinated surveys of sharks and mantis shrimps in the Solent.

South East Marine Officer Jolyon Chesworth said: "A lot of the work we have done recently is looking at aggregate dredging. It is a big issue. One of the problems is that we don't know much at all about the biodiversity associated with these gravel beds. We don't know much about what the impact is when hundreds of tonnes of gravel are removed.

"We know very little about the potential damage. But we do believe that it can take around ten years for gravel beds to return to a relatively natural state after they have been disturbed."

According to the trust's chief executive, the trusts aims over the coming months, and even years, will remains the same as it has always been.

"Nature conservation is a long game," said Mr Stoneman.

" Activities undertaken today may not achieve their full wildlife gains for many years. But, with an organisation of the strength and breadth of the Wildlife Trust we can, and are, making a difference for wildlife in every corner of Hampshire and the Island".

OUR NATURAL HERITAGE IN PERIL:

Hampshire's most endangered mammal - water vole

Hampshire's rarest reptile - smooth snake

Hampshire's rarest bird - tree sparrow

Best recent success story for an endangered species in Hampshire - otters, which are now returning to Hampshire's rivers after years of decline thanks to the work of organisations like the Wildlife Trust and the environment Agency.

Hampshire's most threatened habitat - lowland wild flower meadow.

Best recent success story for threatened habitats in Hampshire - heathland, where restoration work is being carried out by organisations like the Wildlife Trust and Hampshire County Council.

Most rare moth - the Reddish Buff Moth. Its only breeding place in the UK is on the Isle of Wight on Ningwood Common wildlife reserve.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE WILDLIFE TRUST GO TO: www.hwt.org.uk FOR MORE DETAILS ON THE SOUTH COAST MARINE PROGRAMME GO TO: www.southeastmarine.org.uk