Kingsley School students in Bideford help build an otter habitat using recycled timber from local flood defence works at Kenwith Valley reservoir.
Students from Kingsley School in Bideford partnered with the Environment Agency and construction teams to build the new otter habitat on school grounds.
The project saw students work alongside Environment Agency biodiversity specialists and Kier, its construction company, to create an otter habitat using timber reclaimed from improvement works at the Kenwith Valley flood storage reservoir.
Sarah Guest, Environment Agency biodiversity officer, commented: “It was a great opportunity to work with colleagues from the wider organisation and build relations with the community we’re working in – all towards the common goal of nature recovery.”
The children were completely engaged throughout the day and now feel a real sense of ownership over this habitat they’ve created on our school grounds.
The school plans to integrate ongoing monitoring of the otter habitat into their science curriculum, with students regularly reviewing trail camera footage as part of their ecosystem studies.
The initiative forms part of environmental education programmes delivered through the Environment Agency’s South West region.
Speaking about the project, Jack Harty, director of environmental and sustainable studies at Kingsley School, said: “The children were completely engaged throughout the day and now feel a real sense of ownership over this habitat they’ve created on our school grounds.
“We’re particularly excited about setting up a trail camera nearby so students can monitor otter activity in the coming months. This kind of practical conservation experience brings classroom learning to life in ways textbooks simply cannot match.”