Photo: Jamie Hall
Bolstering the Somerset Bittern Population
Enhancing bittern populations across the Somerset Levels and Moors
Habitat enhancements
As part of Natural England’s Species Recovery Programme (SRP), we are leading on two new exciting projects to enhance threatened species populations across Somerset, including the Bolstering the Somerset Bittern Population project.
With project delivery lasting from July 2026 until March 2029, this Species Recovery project aims to enhance bittern populations across the Somerset Levels and Moors. This will be achieved through:
Obtaining a greater understanding of current populations and breeding sites, food sources, non-native predators and habitat condition
Direct reedbed habitat enhancements and the provision of management advice to enable improvements in these habitats
We are excited to work with landowners, and delivery partners RSPB & Natural England, to enhance reedbed and wetland habitats for bittern across the Somerset Levels and Moors
Main Project Contacts
Finlay Clothier, Project Manager, Nature Recovery
finlay.clothier@somersetwildlife.org
Pascal Bisson, Species Recovery Project Ecologist
pascal.bisson@somersetwildlife.org
Further project information
The project will undertake research to map and assess the condition of current reedbed/wetland habitat, assess food assemblages and trial innovative drone and thermal surveying techniques to record breeding sites.
Research will inform and enable habitat enhancements on our reserves and advisory work to extend habitat on land across the project area, improving the Somerset bittern population.
Species Recovery Programme
The main aim of the programme is to deliver targeted action for threatened species with bespoke needs. Through this programme Natural England offers funding across a wide range of taxonomic groups, threat statuses (prioritising those most at risk in England), habitat types, geography and organisations whilst maintaining value for money with public spending.
The programme is underpinned by the recent publication of the Threatened Species Recovery Actions dataset and tool, which identifies the 3 main key actions to undertake for threatened species in England, in order to move them along their Species Recovery Curve.
Targeted action may include but is not limited to:
- Fundamental ecological research to ascertain the drivers of decline, then design and recommend solutions for species recovery.
- Trialling of new solutions to halt declines and recover species.
- Targeted monitoring and surveys to establish the current status of species under threat of extinction.
- Conservation translocations and reintroductions.
- Bespoke species and habitat management to secure the immediate future of threatened species.