OKEHAMPTON looks set to take part in a new public art initiative celebrating the biodiversity of habitats and wildlife on the moor.

The Moor Otters project is a series of 100 unique pieces of art that will be displayed in accessible public areas around Dartmoor and the ‘gateway’ towns — including Okehampton — during the summer of 2017. Each three-foot tall resin otter sculpture will be designed and decorated by a different artist and will portray the artist’s own interpretations of wildlife and conservation issues.

Otters have been chosen as Dartmoor currently provides an important stronghold for the globally threatened and protected species. Otters use Dartmoor’s rivers but also venture on to other habitats, including Dartmoor’s blanket bogs where they search for food.

Visitors to Dartmoor will be encouraged to explore the trail between June and September next year, with a dedicated website and trail map available. The artworks will then be auctioned off at live and online auctions.

Dartmoor National Park is encouraging regional businesses to get involved in the unique opportunity to support this iconic landscape and enhance the experiences of those who visit it by sponsoring an otter. The project aims to raise £100,000 in sponsorship and sales, which will be used for projects to conserve and enhance Dartmoor’s landscape and wildlife, as well as improve access for everybody.

The money will also help develop Dartmoor’s Young Ranger programme, which supports educational access and engages young people in conservation projects, creating the conservationists of the future.

Dave Southern, Moor Otters project manager, said: ‘This truly will be a major milestone in the history of Dartmoor National Park. Never before have we launched a public arts initiative on this scale and the support we’ve had so far has been overwhelming.

‘We’ve got a high profile campaign planned that will allow partners and sponsors to showcase the fantastic support they’re giving to Dartmoor over the next 12 months and we’re confident our sponsors will benefit immensely from the awareness, publicity and goodwill value generated by the project. We’d encourage anyone who’s interested in joining us on this exiting journey to get in touch as soon as possible so as not to miss out on the many opportunities to be associated with all the upcoming milestones and events over the 12 months.’

Artists and artist groups keen to put forward creative designs for individual otters are encouraged to submit their designs to www.moorotters.co.uk