Share

A bigger future for Catcott Nature Reserve

If you’ve ever visited Catcott, you’ll know how special it is. Wide open skies, wetland stretching out in front of you, and if you’re lucky, the sight (and sound) of birds like lapwing and curlew moving across the landscape.

It’s a place that feels properly wild - and one that’s already making a difference for some of Somerset’s most important species. But there’s more we can do.  
 
What’s happening at Catcott 
We’ve been working on plans to make Catcott an even better place for wildlife and for people. Some of that work has already started - you might have seen that the old boardwalk is being carefully removed, ready for the next stage of improvements. Behind the scenes, we’ve also been preparing to take a really important step: expanding the reserve and connecting areas that are currently cut off from each other. 
 
Why this matters 

Right now, parts of the reserve are fragmented. For wildlife, that means: 

  • Less space to feed
  • Fewer safe places to breed
  • More pressure on already vulnerable species 

Birds like lapwing and curlew depend on open, connected wetlands. Without enough space, it becomes much harder for them to thrive. By linking these areas together and creating more habitat, we can give them the best possible chance. 

The hide at Catcott

We want to replace the aging Lows bird hide with a spacious, accessible wildlife lookout. Image: Annabelle Stidwell

What we’re planning 
With your support, we’re working towards: 

  • Buying neighbouring land to connect habitats
  • Expanding the scrape to create better feeding and breeding areas
  • Building a new, accessible wildlife lookout
  • Improving paths, bridges and access, so more people can enjoy the reserve year-round 

It’s about making Catcott bigger, better and more welcoming - for wildlife and for everyone who visits. 
 
Your chance to make twice the impact
From 22nd - 29th April 2026, every online donation to Catcott made through the Big Give’s Earth Raise campaign will be doubled, meaning your gift will go twice as far in helping us deliver these improvements for nature. Save the date! Please keep an eye on your inbox for more details and help us give Catcott’s wildlife the home it deserves. 
 
A lot has already been made possible thanks to the support we’ve received so far. This next step will help secure Catcott’s future - creating more space for wildlife, and a better experience for people, too.  
 
If you’d like to be part of it, you can find out more in the link below and support the appeal from 22nd – 29th April.  
 
Support Catcott through Big Give 

Related news