
Somerset Levels and Moors
Somerset Levels and Moors
This well-known landscape is among the largest wetlands remaining in England, rich in nature, history and legend.
Characterised by flat, wet meadows bordered by rhynes and ditches with low hills creating a dramatic landscape, it is internationally significant for wildlife.
The Somerset Levels and Moors have been shaped by human history, farming and natural processes over millennia, resulting in the unique wetlands we see today.
By 2030 we want to see the area as a thriving, nature-rich wetland landscape, with grassland farming taking place on the majority of the land. We would like the impact of extreme weather events to be reduced by land and water management in both the upper catchments and the flood plain.
We are currently working alongside partners and landowners to secure this future for the wetlands and the wildlife they support, which includes lapwings, snipe, dragonflies and flowers.
Explore the area
Find out what’s going on near this Futurescape, including places to visit, news and local events, plus how you can work or volunteer for us.
Nearby reserves
Reserves and other protected areas are a key part of Futurescapes. They provide core areas for nature to thrive and eventually repopulate the surrounding landscapes. The key RSPB reserves within this Futurescape are:
Greylake
The fields here were once arable farmland, but now you can see lapwings, snipe, curlews and redshanks nesting here during the summer, as well as yellow wagtails, skylarks and meadow pipits.
Ham Wall
Here you can enjoy a newly created wetland, which provides a safe home for many rare species including water voles and otters. In spring the reedbeds are alive with birdsong and in autumn you can see kingfishers flashing up and down the ditches. Bitterns are seen regularly all year round.
Swell Wood
The ancient oaks of Swell Wood are part of a continuous strip of woodland extending for around 10 miles along the ridge from Langport to the Blackdown Hills.
West Sedgemoor
West Sedgemoor is part of England's largest remaining wet meadow system. Set among the Somerset Levels and Moors, it has the largest lowland population of breeding wading birds, such as lapwings, snipe, curlew and redshanks, in the whole of southern England.
Featured projects
We're working to safeguard and improve special places for nature. Each Futurescape contains a range of initiatives in addition to our reserves. The combination of these creates better conditions for wildlife across the countryside.
Bringing reedbeds to life
A national project which assesses the biodiversity value of some of the UK’s best reedbeds for species habitats.
Mid Parrett Wet Farmland Project
The Mid Parrett Wet Farmland Project is a pilot scheme managed by the RSPB supporting farming and wetland wildlife in the River Parrett floodplain. We are working with farmers who manage extensive wet grasslands in the Parrett floodplain, encouraging them to make good use of the Environmental Stewardship scheme which provides valuable financial support for those managing land within the floodplain.
Our partners
Futurescapes is all about collaboration. There are many organisations and people involved in managing land on in the Somerset Levels and Moors. Our challenge is working together to find ways of making more space for nature. To achieve this we're working with:
Saving special places
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Rejecting aluminium from Ghana's Forests
As Ghana weighs economic benefits of mining bauxite for aluminum, multi-billion-dollar global companies support community groups calling for protection of critical forest. Natalie Hall, RSPB Senior Advisor for International Site Policy explains. Atew...
Posted 03/02/2021 by Vanessa Amaral-Rogers -
Taking ‘Favourable Conservation Status’ out of the ‘too difficult’ box
Favourable Conservation Status (FCS) is a concept enshrined in international, European and national nature protection laws. Head of Sites Conservation Policy, Kate Jennings explains the idea of identifying what good looks like for habitats and s...(r...
Posted 13/02/2020 by Vanessa Amaral-Rogers -
After the hurricane - Improving small island resilience and self-sufficiency in habitat monitoring and management in the UKOTS
Clearing up: Credit Louise Soames Blog by Lyndon John (RSPB) and Louise Soames The 2017 Atlantic hurricane season dealt devastating blows to the Caribbean region, particularly for the Caribbean UKOTs. The islands of Anguilla, British Virgin Islands.....
Posted 20/06/2019 by Heather Mitchell -
Victory for Harapan Rainforest
Beautiful Hutan Harapan forest is a precious remnant of the rainforest that once covered much of Sumatra (Photo: RSPB-images/Steve Roland) Hutan Harapan is one of the last remaining areas of dry lowland Sumatran forest and is among the most th...(r...
Posted 12/04/2019 by Heather Mitchell