habitats

There are over 400km of drystone walls on the Mendip Hills AONB. The walls are a key reason for the designation of the Mendip Hills as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, they are one of the Special Qualities that define Mendip, not to mention a vital lifeline for wildlife such as adders and lizards. Last year our volunteers repaired over 200M of drystone walls on Mendip. Constructing a project is a great way to gain a sense of accomplishment.

So today we are challenging you to create your own mini habitat project for wildlife! The possibilities are endless, you can create a hedgehog home, an insect wood pile or even a bug hotel.

Trees are a hot topic now with the climate emergency. The ancient wooded coombes of the Mendip Hills offer varied rich habitats of national and international importance for a wide diversity of wildlife. But how good are your tree ID skills?

Take a tree walk and practice your identification. You can download the Woodland Trust ID App or use one of the Tree Guide Spotter sheet, links below.

This pilot study was undertaken by members of CHERT (Charterhouse Environs Research Team) from September 2007 to March 2008 to establish whether it was possible to identify different styles of stone walls through the historical period. A combination of fieldwork, drawing and documentary research was used to try to establish a wall typology that could be tested in the field and used in other parts of the Mendip Hills AONB.

A report on the findings of research to consider the role dry stone walls play in the
ecological habitat of the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

Discover the semi-natural habitats of the Mendip Hills that have developed as a consequence of a complex interaction of underlying geology, soils, aspect, climate, and a range of other factors.

Field study centre, providing a range of learning experiences for schools and students of all ages, through classroom activities and practical fieldwork in working and non-operational quarry sites.

Information on how Somerset Wildlife Trust are working with local communities to help restore and recreate wildflower meadows and grasslands across the Mendip Hills through the Save our Magnificent Meadows Project.

Information on the characteristic flora and fauna of the Mendip Hills which has led to many sites being designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Discover how many plant and animal species of the Mendip Hills are typical of certain soils that in turn are determined by the underlying rocks.