An unlimited new ‘tremendous nature reserve’, spanning the world-famous Cheddar Gorge and the Mendip Hills and encompassing a few of the nation’s most treasured habitats, has been created.
The declaration of the brand new Mendip ‘tremendous’ Nationwide Nature Reserve (NNR) by Pure England and companions will preserve and assist restore over 1,400 hectares of steep limestone slopes, conventional wildflower grasslands, historical wooded combes, spectacular gorges and rocky outcrops. It’s going to carry collectively 31 present nature reserves and greater than 400 hectares of recent land which can now be managed primarily for conservation, in addition to creating more room better entry to nature for native individuals.
The Mendips are house to quite a lot of wildlife such because the nationally endangered lesser and better horseshoe bats, adder, skylark, water vole, hazel dormouse, small pearl-bordered fritillary, black oil beetle, together with endemic vegetation reminiscent of Cheddar pink and the nationally uncommon little robin and purple gromwell.
Creating bigger extra joined-up areas for nature is essential to halting its decline and bringing about a rise in populations. The positioning will cowl the Mendip Hills Space of Excellent Pure Magnificence, stretching from woodlands in England’s smallest metropolis of Wells, throughout the southern Mendip slopes and plateau and reaching proper out to Brean Down within the Severn estuary.
Skylark, copyright Glyn Sellors, from the surfbirds galleries
Tony Juniper, Chair of Pure England, stated: Right now’s declaration of the brand new Mendip Nationwide Nature Reserve is a big step for Nature restoration, not simply in Somerset however the nation as an entire. This treasure trove of historical woodlands, wealthy wildflower grasslands and beautiful geology is of nice nationwide significance and sustains an enormous number of wildlife. There are birds, small mammals, uncommon butterflies and vegetation which are discovered solely right here.
Creating this new Nationwide Nature Reserve can be a step alongside the highway of enhancing the biodiversity of the Mendip Hills – making it a much bigger, higher and extra joined up place for wildlife to thrive.” It additionally provides much more alternatives for the local people and guests to attach with Nature, historical past and the native heritage.
Nature Minister Trudy Harrison says: This is a crucial step for individuals and nature restoration. It’s going to allow treasured species to flourish by supporting wildlife corridors and defending ecologically vital landscapes, reminiscent of the enduring gorges and historical woodlands within the Mendip space. A lot of this panorama additionally hugs the Mendip Manner, making it really accessible for native individuals and guests.
This landmark declaration will help our bold plans to halt and reverse nature’s decline, as set out within the Environmental Enchancment Plan.
The positioning is the second within the new King’s Collection of Nationwide Nature Reserves. The Collection will see the creation of 5 main Nationwide Nature Reserve declarations yearly for the subsequent 5 years – 25 in whole.
The announcement at the moment additionally helps the Authorities’s supply on its Environmental Enchancment Plan and key Setting Act targets to halt the decline in our wildlife populations and improve species abundance.
Together with Pure England, Mendip Hills AONB, the Nationwide Belief, Longleat/Cheddar Gorge Caves, Somerset and Avon Wildlife Trusts, Butterfly Conservation, the Woodland Belief and the South West Heritage Belief are all working in partnership to handle the Nationwide Nature Reserve with a shared goal for nature restoration.
Multi-party Nationwide Nature Reserves reminiscent of Mendip are growing in quantity, bringing collectively the talents, data and long run commitments of various organisations to ship the three functions of the designation: nature conservation, environmental science and public entry, enjoyment and engagement.
Additional supporting quotes:
Lord Bathtub of Longleat Property stated: Cheddar Gorge is considered one of Britain’s most spectacular pure landmarks, comprising a big and vital a part of the Mendip Hills’ footprint and bio connectivity. As a non-public landowner of a part of this particular piece of Britain, we take our accountability as custodians extraordinarily significantly. By way of the Cheddar Gorge and Caves enterprise, we work to draw many individuals to this space to get pleasure from and expertise this excellent a part of the world. As well as, we work tirelessly to make sure this wonderful mosaic of land is conserved for future generations of tourists to get pleasure from and populations of numerous wildlife to thrive.
The formation of the brand new Nationwide Nature Reserve is a ground-breaking alternative for conservation and land administration. We stay up for making an actual affect along with the opposite companions, not least for the species which are native to those habitats – from better crested newts to dormice, and the extraordinarily uncommon vegetation that flourish in abundance in our distinctive pocket of land.
Nigel Garnsworthy, Nationwide Belief Somerset Countryside Supervisor, says: The Nationwide Belief and its companions have been working for a few years to take care of a wholesome, resilient panorama buzzing with wildlife throughout the Mendip Hills and the NNR declaration is testomony to that success. We’re excited in regards to the likelihood to work in nearer collaboration to make a constructive distinction for nature and local weather and make sure the particular Mendip wildlife is benefitting from habitats which are larger, in higher situation and higher linked.
Ross Kennerley, The Woodland Belief’s South West Regional Director states: The Woodland Belief is delighted that Dolebury Warren goes to be included on this NNR. It types a part of a steady space of woodland stretching for a lot of miles throughout the Mendip slopes. The creation of the NNR will strengthen the partnership method to nature restoration and help the growth and good administration of those woodlands, so they’re a part of a thriving panorama for individuals and nature.
Dr Dan Hoare, Director of Conservation, Butterfly Conservation, stated: With nearly all of the UK’s butterfly and moth species in decline, and local weather change and biodiversity loss threatening to push them nearer to the brink, now’s the time to come back collectively and deal with these challenges at a panorama scale. Rising the safety for our most treasured websites, and guaranteeing we work collectively to make them larger, higher and extra joined up, is essential to get better species and restore the habitats they rely on.
Rachael Fickweiler, Head of Nature Reserves and Land Administration at Somerset Wildlife Belief, stated: Bringing collectively landowners and land managers to collaborate on a landscape-scale method throughout the websites included within the new Mendip ‘tremendous’ NNR is one of the simplest ways to attain nature’s restoration and our 30 by 30 ambitions for land underneath good administration for nature. That is important if we’re to deal with the challenges we face, together with local weather change and the difference wanted to reply to this risk to key Mendip species such because the adder and better horseshoe bat; and points such because the devastating affect that ash dieback illness has had on our Mendip bushes and woodlands.
Ian Barrett, Chief Govt at Avon Wildlife Belief stated: We’re very excited to collaborate with accomplice organisations to be a part of this new tremendous Nationwide Nature Reserve within the Mendips. By working collectively throughout this lovely panorama, we’re serving to to assist allow nature’s restoration throughout the area in order that a lot beloved wildlife can survive and thrive.”
Jim Hardcastle, supervisor of Mendip Hills AONB, stated: This declaration publicly recognises how particular the wildlife websites are on the south dealing with slopes of the Mendip Hills. The brand new Nationwide Nature Reserve will present how all of the land managers can work collectively to assist nature get better with the involvement of locals and guests.
