The new Mendip ‘super’ National Nature Reserve (NNR) was declared by Natural England and partners at an event on Thursday 19th October at Cheddar Gorge attending my Avon Wildlife Trust and partners. 

The new NNR will conserve and help restore over 1,400 hectares of steep limestone slopes, traditional wildflower grasslands, ancient wooded combes, spectacular gorges and rocky outcrops. It will bring together 31 existing nature reserves and more than 400 hectares of new land which will now be managed primarily for conservation, as well as creating more space greater access to nature for local people. The AWT reserve's included are Walborough, Purn Hill, Hellenge Hill and Dolebury Warren. 

The Mendips are home to a variety of wildlife such as the nationally endangered lesser and greater horseshoe bats, adder, skylark, water vole, hazel dormouse, small pearl-bordered fritillary, black oil beetle, including endemic plants such as Cheddar pink and the nationally rare little robin and purple gromwell.

Creating larger more joined-up spaces for nature is crucial to halting its decline and bringing about an increase in populations. The site will cover the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, stretching from woodlands in England’s smallest city of Wells, across the southern Mendip slopes and plateau and reaching right out to Brean Down in the Severn estuary.

As stated in the 2010 Lawton Review, to successfully conserve nature into the future we need more nature reserves that are bigger, better quality and joined up. By working with partner organisations as part of the NNR, we can join up the existing nature reserves across the Mendip Hills and help aid nature's recovery across the area. 

Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, spoke during the morning of the declaration event and said:  

"We are going to have to start thinking bigger and that is what the super National Nature Reserve's are all about. It's about thinking about thinking beyond the little parcels of land we have been protecting, in some cases very effectively, over the last 70 odd years and start thinking about connectivity and joining up the landscape. Because without that we are not going to achieve the big goals of beauty, biodiversity, functioning nature and climate resilience." 

Ian Barrett, Chief Executive at Avon Wildlife Trust said "We're very excited to collaborate with partner organisation to be part of this new 'super' National Nature Reserve in the Mendips. By working together across the beautiful landscape, we are helping to enable nature's recovery across the region so much loved wildlife can survive and thrive."