Help protect nature, every day of the year
It’s more important than ever that our nature reserves receive the best possible care
Somerset’s wild places will only survive for future generations if action is taken today. Preserving meadows, wetlands, and woodlands has never been more vital – or more challenging – and we’re asking you to put your support at the heart of that effort.
Our team manage 68 nature reserves across the county, forming a living network of habitats that give wildlife a fighting chance. At Bubwith Acres, sensitive grassland management is helping the small pearl-bordered fritillary return after years of absence; at West Coker Fen, careful grazing and water management support water voles and a rich diversity of wetland plants; in the ancient woodland of Dundon Beacon, indicator species like herb-paris tell us that centuries-old habitats are still hanging on. These are just a few of the places your generosity could help to protect and restore all year round.
Looking after this network is a constant, skilled undertaking. Through every season, staff and volunteers must restore habitats, monitor species, repair paths and infrastructure, manage conservation grazing, and adapt to changing conditions on the ground. As threats such as climate breakdown, ash dieback and avian influenza increase, this work becomes more complex – and more urgent.
It now costs almost £3,000 a day to care for all our reserves. Your donation powers the practical work that keeps these special places thriving: from scrub and invasive plant control, to fencing and gates that keep conservation grazing animals safe, to species monitoring that shows when management is working and when it needs to change.
By supporting the Nature Reserves Fund, you will help safeguard these wild refuges – for butterflies and birds, for dormice and water voles, and for people seeking space to breathe. Every gift, whatever the size, helps secure a safe future for Somerset’s most loved places.
Other ways to donate
Any gift you can give to the Somerset Nature Reserves Fund will always go straight to our nature reserves, ensuring that they are kept in the best possible condition to support the wide range of species that rely on them as well as helping us achieve our ambitious conservation goals. Please help us if you can.
You can also donate securely by card by telephoning Zoë or Sonia 01823 652429.
Every donation, whatever the size, will make a difference.
Thank you so much for your continuing support.