That must be so frustrating. I expect you've heard of the Miyawaki forest approach. It goes against conventional techniques by planting x3 times as many trees in an area. It's meant to speed up growth by up to x10 times. We've just planted 1500 whips here in S.Devon and got funding for it. Just thinking that it would take you past the vulnerable stage much quicker ?
Hi Joe we have a site that we have done Miyawaki on and a pretty extensive blog about it... may be of interest for you... www.creatingtomorrowsforests.co.uk/blog/the-miyawaki-method-for-creating-forests
Really interesting learning about the otters and deers. I guess it’s a fine balance between welcoming wildlife on the site and wildlife damaging the site, so wish you all the best going forward and hopefully the site can get a bit more established with these protective measures in case.
Good on you for being open and honest…..It certainly is a grey area, and awkward when visiting longleat with the kids, and they are mentioning how cute they are 🤦🏻
If otters have arrived ,,,take a thousand quid every week and flush it down the toilet ,,,they've clean lots of fisheries out here in Scotland ,,i picked up a carp last year 26lb half eaten ,,and we had a electric fence 😅
@@tomorrowsforests A friend of mine has a stream fed pond on his land. I spent the last couple of weekends helping him with ground clearance while a JCB removes the build up of silt so we can get it to its true potential. We have 400 trees arrving from woodtrust soon to help with the woodland management side of things. I'd love to do something on this scale!!!
Tough decision! Not sure you could win either way really! I think it’s a fair decision to give it time to establish. Whatever you do, you’re doing an amazing job! Love your content and your project!
Catch 22 this one. As an angler having gone through a family of otters closing a carp syndicate with over 40k of stock being eaten in less than 6 weeks I sit on the side of doing whatever is possible to keep them out. Otters will now eat anything and fish sometimes are not their no1 dinner of choice. As us carp anglers now say. No fence, no fishery. But for you it's protecting all aspects of the lake including viv and Simons babies.
Regards to bankside cover for protection for birds etc. It doesn't work sections of river with mature reeds beds , woods and very mature banks have lost the majority of koots and moorhens at times. I have even witnessed them trying to take rabbits. They predate what is easiest. A really mature lake I was a member of was wiped out completely in the nene valley. It's great seeing them at times but sadly they don't mix with fisheries or birdlife. It's almost fence or loose it scenario from a fisherie side of things. What about fence it for 10 years and see where thing's are at with the local population. Deer and otters sorted and your lake gets established. During that time the otters will continue to test the fence as they do at the lake I'm fishing. Sad situation as your doing something great. Hopefully they will find a balance but there diet is massively varied! Good luck with the project, great seeing it develop.
So I would suggest that you contact Dave Webb from the UKWOT - uk wild otter trust. He will be more than happy to advise on the fence weak areas etc. it is about working together. Dave helped us out loads. They will defo be targeting your lake and even with an electric or full fence. It's not 100% full proof. They have a massive range and you'll probably have more than one family transitting your lake. They will continue to test your fence until they get in or even take a whack if they have to. There's a lot of pollution and other predation devastating rivers etc so they are only exploiting the environment. Good luck but would defo contact Dave for advise.
If you want to create a proper little habbit and haven youll fence it properly and keep the otters out. Your fish and water foul and small mammals that show up will thank you for it, ive seen several other people with the same train of thought change their mind once they are burying the 2nd or 3rd batch of stock fish carcasses or the resident birds!
Acting on the deer problem with fencing seems very standard and not much to discuss. The otter is more complex as it is also a guest that you want to have. Not sure how rare the birds are but it must be a balance with not losing rare birds vs gaining otters. If it is birds that is all over then I say let them be otter food!
It is good if the Otters are IN your lake but it is bad if the Otters are somehow ON your lake, like Jesus Christ himself, walking on water because then that would be "Otterly Ridiculous!" If it's a business then it has to protect the interests which means a fence in the same way if I was farming some vegetables I'd put up a rabbit-proof fence or deer deterrent to stop them eating the produce. With that said, scale is important, if making a giant lake like this, then ideally another lake for wildlife would be alongside well nearby that caters to the wildlife in place of this one? If I was farming I'd ensure I have space for my veg but also space for wildlife and probably a ratio where what I produce or use is x10 smaller than what nature is given over for or some such logic. Eg the Otters should have a big River that is intact along with it's own flood plain which is kind of what you conclude right? Do you think Beavers will help if they create multiple natural ponds along Riparian systems? Yup got to look after the Rivers and avoid pollution: You're right on the ball with the bigger landscape picture that fits businesses and Nature esp. those lovely Otters.
Incredible Video and Channel! I hope to visit England one day and visit this pond! Keep up the great work, I look forward to these videos!
Thanks rex!!
That must be so frustrating. I expect you've heard of the Miyawaki forest approach.
It goes against conventional techniques by planting x3 times as many trees in an area. It's meant to speed up growth by up to x10 times. We've just planted 1500 whips here in S.Devon and got funding for it. Just thinking that it would take you past the vulnerable stage much quicker ?
Hi Joe we have a site that we have done Miyawaki on and a pretty extensive blog about it... may be of interest for you...
www.creatingtomorrowsforests.co.uk/blog/the-miyawaki-method-for-creating-forests
Really interesting learning about the otters and deers. I guess it’s a fine balance between welcoming wildlife on the site and wildlife damaging the site, so wish you all the best going forward and hopefully the site can get a bit more established with these protective measures in case.
Absolutely the right decision regarding otters.
Cheers john.
Good on you for being open and honest…..It certainly is a grey area, and awkward when visiting longleat with the kids, and they are mentioning how cute they are 🤦🏻
Good balanced approach to protecting the lake, hope it works! The dear will be tough to stop but good luck..!
Deer..!
Thanks David, we hope it works too!
If otters have arrived ,,,take a thousand quid every week and flush it down the toilet ,,,they've clean lots of fisheries out here in Scotland ,,i picked up a carp last year 26lb half eaten ,,and we had a electric fence 😅
Congrats on everything so far... onwards and upwards!!!
Cheers
@@tomorrowsforests A friend of mine has a stream fed pond on his land. I spent the last couple of weekends helping him with ground clearance while a JCB removes the build up of silt so we can get it to its true potential. We have 400 trees arrving from woodtrust soon to help with the woodland management side of things. I'd love to do something on this scale!!!
@@Mumbles274 that sounds great pal.. lots of fun, lots of work. Would love to work on an old mature venue and get it back in shape.
Tough decision! Not sure you could win either way really! I think it’s a fair decision to give it time to establish. Whatever you do, you’re doing an amazing job! Love your content and your project!
Cheers james.. thanks for watching.
Catch 22 this one. As an angler having gone through a family of otters closing a carp syndicate with over 40k of stock being eaten in less than 6 weeks I sit on the side of doing whatever is possible to keep them out. Otters will now eat anything and fish sometimes are not their no1 dinner of choice. As us carp anglers now say. No fence, no fishery. But for you it's protecting all aspects of the lake including viv and Simons babies.
Yeah its been a tough decision.. hopefully for the best for the time being.
For sure Nick. You never know what the lake could turn into in the future. Good luck
Regards to bankside cover for protection for birds etc. It doesn't work sections of river with mature reeds beds , woods and very mature banks have lost the majority of koots and moorhens at times. I have even witnessed them trying to take rabbits. They predate what is easiest. A really mature lake I was a member of was wiped out completely in the nene valley. It's great seeing them at times but sadly they don't mix with fisheries or birdlife. It's almost fence or loose it scenario from a fisherie side of things. What about fence it for 10 years and see where thing's are at with the local population. Deer and otters sorted and your lake gets established. During that time the otters will continue to test the fence as they do at the lake I'm fishing. Sad situation as your doing something great. Hopefully they will find a balance but there diet is massively varied! Good luck with the project, great seeing it develop.
Cheers... yeah what do you.. hopefully with a bit of cover at least things have a chance to escape. More planting.. more backache.. lol
So I would suggest that you contact Dave Webb from the UKWOT - uk wild otter trust. He will be more than happy to advise on the fence weak areas etc. it is about working together.
Dave helped us out loads. They will defo be targeting your lake and even with an electric or full fence. It's not 100% full proof. They have a massive range and you'll probably have more than one family transitting your lake.
They will continue to test your fence until they get in or even take a whack if they have to.
There's a lot of pollution and other predation devastating rivers etc so they are only exploiting the environment.
Good luck but would defo contact Dave for advise.
Cheers Chris.. definately a good shout.
If you want to create a proper little habbit and haven youll fence it properly and keep the otters out. Your fish and water foul and small mammals that show up will thank you for it, ive seen several other people with the same train of thought change their mind once they are burying the 2nd or 3rd batch of stock fish carcasses or the resident birds!
I don't see you have a choice. Many people do not realise that Otters will predate waterfowl and ground nesting birds as well as fish!
Can you not cull the deer?
Yes it is an option.. there is so many of them which is the issue. Fence is expensive but so is replanting everything every year.
Otters will kill all your fish and then move onto the next place fence it asap get trail cams up find them trap them move them far far away
Otters no good
Acting on the deer problem with fencing seems very standard and not much to discuss.
The otter is more complex as it is also a guest that you want to have. Not sure how rare the birds are but it must be a balance with not losing rare birds vs gaining otters. If it is birds that is all over then I say let them be otter food!
It is good if the Otters are IN your lake but it is bad if the Otters are somehow ON your lake, like Jesus Christ himself, walking on water because then that would be "Otterly Ridiculous!"
If it's a business then it has to protect the interests which means a fence in the same way if I was farming some vegetables I'd put up a rabbit-proof fence or deer deterrent to stop them eating the produce.
With that said, scale is important, if making a giant lake like this, then ideally another lake for wildlife would be alongside well nearby that caters to the wildlife in place of this one? If I was farming I'd ensure I have space for my veg but also space for wildlife and probably a ratio where what I produce or use is x10 smaller than what nature is given over for or some such logic. Eg the Otters should have a big River that is intact along with it's own flood plain which is kind of what you conclude right?
Do you think Beavers will help if they create multiple natural ponds along Riparian systems? Yup got to look after the Rivers and avoid pollution: You're right on the ball with the bigger landscape picture that fits businesses and Nature esp. those lovely Otters.
Winner, winner!!
🔫🔫🔫