Dean Green Team

Wildlife Conservation Group in the

Forest of Dean

Gloucestershire

Members of the Dean Green Team have undertaken to complete an Otter Watch in the Forest of Dean during the months of September, October and November 2006. We have all attended a course run by the Gloucester Wildlife Trust to explain exactly what we should be looking for in the areas of the Forest of Dean that we have been allocated. The most prominent signs of otters will be their spraint and maybe footprints. On 12th September the team built 2 otter holts by the stream leading down to Cannop Ponds. Below are some photographs of the otter holts in construction.

There has been a sighting of an otter at the Stenders on the lower stretch of the road near a quarry towards Mitcheldean

The Forest of Dean Angling Club have contacted us regarding the Otter Watch with some very useful information concerning otters seen at Steam Mills lake. Below is the report submitted by Nigel Phillips who can be contacted on nigel.phillips@yahoo.co.uk

'The otter frequents Steam Mills Lake and has been here to my knowledge for approximately one year.

I was clearing the stream that feeds the lake as a participant in one of the work parties that the Forest of Dean Angling Club organise throughout the year. I noticed the paw prints in February 2006 and searched for spraint which I discovered.Soon after we found evidence of fish kills and that that several of the fishing platforms that we installed were being used to open mussels, the shells and small stones being left after the meal!

I believe that 'he' has made his way here from the Wye via the inlet stream that originates from the upper Drybrook/Mitcheldean area. We had seen mink here on odd occaisons over the last 10 years and thought that perhaps this was the culprit. The Otter has been seen twice but not to my knowledge in the last 3-4 months. The club has a match at Steam Mills this Sunday and I shall both enquire if he has been seen and look for evidence.If I become aware of his presence no doubt it will be of interest to your team.

The angling club, of which I am a committee member, has been engaged in promoting the biodiversity of the waters under our control and we regularly stock the lakes and maintain the surroundings at our own cost both in time and money. I regard Steam Mills as a huge success, we now see Kingfishers as well as Heron and have a thriving population of Wild Brown Trout that use the feeder stream to breed. Last year I discovered a Badgers sett extremely close by. It may seem strange to the lay person but as anglers I suppose we tend to take these things for granted and without realising do our best to improve the environment for the fish which also has a knock on effect for the general biodiversity of the area.

The club has become a member of the Brown Trout Trust and are actively promoting the Environment Agency Brown Trout Strategy, we are also working with the Agency to promote the biodiversity of the area.'

On 10th October the team built 2 more otter holts by the stream in Foxes Bridge FG/GWT Reserve. Below are some photographs of the otter holts in construction.