These activities were part of the Biodiversity Project jointly funded by South West Water and South West Lakes Trust to encourage and nurture wildlife around the lakes.

Britain's otter population began to fall in the 1950s, mainly due to the pollution of our rivers and streams through chemicals, hunting and habitat destruction. Natural otter resting sites would be found under bank side tree roots, or in dense undergrowth adjacent to healthy rivers and particularly under mature ash and oak tree roots. In recent years many old bank side trees have been cleared and natural holt sites have become rare. Artificial otter holts provide resting places while natural otter habitats recover in the long term. Otters can live in most types of wetland including floodplain woodland, reed bed, rivers and fens.

In order to find a suitable location for the new holt sites were surveyed for evidence of otter activity. The suitable areas were selected for artificial holt creation, near fresh water and food supplies, with trees such as oak and ash in the vicinity.

Where possible previously cleared materials were utilised, otherwise fallen trees were cut to size to use for construction. After removal of the turf from the holt site, logs were laid out to form the walls and internal chambers and kept in place using stakes (an entrance facing the water source was left and an entrance on the opposite side of the holt was created). Poles were laid across the top of the structure to form a roof, then turf and brash were piled on top of the poles to ensure the holt was waterproof and windproof. Extra brash was piled around the holt to provide insulation and hide the structure.

Richard and the team are hoping that the otters will soon discover this idyllic new home and the holt will be surveyed to see if otters have taken up residence.