I’ve been working with a group of young people working on their Duke of Edinburgh award recently. We have been making an artificial otter holt in Amesbury. The young people decided they wanted to do something for their local river and so along with the Environmental youth worker from the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust got in touch with me.

Man made holts provide an important part of what an otter needs in any stretch of river, somewhere quiet and secluded where they can hide up in during the day. The need to ‘tidy up’ along river banks has meant that many of their more natural haunts such as fallen trees are not often available.

The young people have been having great fun clearing some fallen trees and using the timber to build all the features you would need in any respectable house – Front door, back door, 3 or 4 rooms, nice strong roof beams and a big thatched roof. Hopefully it will find a new owner soon…

Thanks to Amesbury Town Council for being so supportive of the project on their land.