Mendip Hills

Ubley Warren Nature Reserve

Ubley Warren Nature Reserve - Matt Sweeting

Landscape

Mendip Hills

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One of our Priority Landscapes ()
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Home to dormice, bats, adders & more ()
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50 % of our land holding is in Mendip ()
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12 % of UK population of Greater Horsehoe Bat here ()

About the Mendip Hills

The Mendip Hills are a rich and distinctive part of Somerset’s varied landscapes, with dramatic limestone hills rising up from the Levels to give outstanding views and some fantastic sites for wildlife. The unique geology of the area is visible not only in stone outcrops, gorges and characteristic dry-stone walls, but in the variety of species-rich wildflower meadows, calcareous grasslands, acidic heaths and ancient woodlands that the area supports.

Stretching between Frome and Western-Super-Mare, the predominantly limestone Mendip Hills have been an important area for our work for many decades. Half of our nature reserve landholdings are in Mendip, reflecting the value of habitats in the area, which in turn support a rich diversity of species. This includes important populations of nationally rare species such as the hazel dormice. Over 26 species of butterfly have been recorded at our Draycott Sleights Nature Reserve alone, whilst the Mells valley supports 12% of the UK population of greater horseshoe bat.

Explore our current work in Mendip

Action for a Wilder Mendip

We provide training, advice and support to communities and land managers in Mendip to take action for nature, Key to this is enabling people to share skills and work together to conserve, connect and restore wildlife habitats.                     

 

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Mendip Hills Farm Cluster

We facilitate the Mendip Hills Farm Cluster - a group of farmers and other land managers that are working collaboratively to enhance the landscape for nature. Group members share skills and deliver benefits across their varied landholdings that go far beyond what could be achieved if they each worked alone. Through this the members are helping to connect fragmented habitats and provide the network of habitats needed for species to thrive and move through the landscape...

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Habitat Management for Mendip Dormice

We’re delighted to share that we have secured new funding to support a group of neighbouring nature-friendly landowners in the Mendip Hills to enhance habitats for dormice. This builds on the positive momentum of the group from the first phase of the Habitat Management for Dormice Project in 2023, with further Farming in Protected Landscape (FiPL) funding now granted to help boost declining populations of this charismatic species on their land in Phase 2.

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Our grassland and woodland reserves in Mendip form core areas in Somerset’s Nature Recovery Network. It's vital that we secure biodiversity here and prevent further habitat fragmentation through restoration and habitat creation programmes.
Rachel Fickweiler, Head of Nature Reserves

Previous projects in Mendip

Contact our Mendip Hills team

Lila Morris, Mendip Nature Recovery Officer

Lila Morris

Image: Matt Sweeting

Lila is an ecologist, land management adviser and wildlife surveyor, who works with volunteers and landowners to restore wildlife habitats, and has mapped habitats across Mendip to understand how well they interconnect as ecological networks. She is passionate about giving people opportunities to learn traditional skills such as coppicing and hedgelaying, as well as survey skills. 

Contact: email lila.morris@somersetwildlife.org 

Jemima Western, Mendip Hills Farm Cluster Facilitator

Jemima Western

Jemima is a zoologist with a passion about the intersection of landscape-scale ecology and farming. Jemima works with farmers, partners, and other land managers across the Mendip Hills National Character Area to deliver landscape-scale restoration of habitats through collaborative working.

Contact: Email: jemima.western@somersetwildlife.org or call 07840 840704

Pippa Rayner, Wilder Projects Coordinator

Pippa Rayner

Image: Matt Sweeting

Pippa is a grassland ecologist, community empowerment facilitator and project manager, with many years experience in creation, restoration and enhancement of wildflower meadows, as well as working to support communities to support nature in their local area. She has a passion for working collaboratively to help partners, land managers, individuals and communities join forces to increase the impact and visibility of their action for nature. Pippa also develops and coordinates projects at the Trust, with some of her time focused on work in the Mendip Hills.

Contact: email pippa.rayner@somersetwildlife.org 

Explore Mendip reserves

Explore wonderful woodlands and flower-filled grasslands within these inspirational hills.

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