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Wilder Communities 30x30 Project

Taking action for nature on your doorstep

Thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund this 3-year project aims to enable people to take action for nature. There are two focuses:

Wilder Youth 

Thanks to The National Lottery we have been able to employ our first dedicated Wilder Youth Officer, Sian Bentley. Sian has led the development of a new youth strategy and established a county-wide offer for young people. We support young people to build initial connections with nature, provide guidance and training though our Youth Forum, hold youth specific volunteering days and offer work experience opportunities. 

You can find out more about our developing youth programme here. 

Wilder Communities

This element of the project concentrates on B-Lines running across South and East Somerset. Helping communities to take action together to connect up key habitat areas to serve as highways for pollinating insects and other wildlife, creating more resilient habitats and communities. 

Our Wilder Communities Officer, Guy Braga, has been working alongside a number of communities to listen, design and establish plans that are an appropriate fit for the local area and community. Find out more about some of these projects below. 

a group of people smile next to a tree they have planted

Martock Street Trees

The Martock and District Gardening Society led on a project to plant several native trees and wild ground flora in Martock Business Park. This community effort aimed to increase tree coverage, connect areas for nature’s recovery and create a more beautiful and resilient Martock.

And it was just the start! The group secured additional funding to create a community orchard and wildflower area, as well as launching Martock’s first Climate Adaptation Plan. 

People stand next to raised beds they have built

Somerton Community Garden

Somerton Gardeners Club led the development of a new community garden in St Cleers Chapel in Somerton! St Cleers is a well used chapel with lots of community activities taking place in the centre of Somerton, which has very limited accessible nature-rich spaces. 

This new accessible outdoor community space includes 3 raised beds, native ground flora such as violets, primroses and wild strawberries, a mini hazel coppice area, dead hedge, habitat pile and a woodchip pathway and seating to encourage people to enjoy the space. It's hoped the space will become a valuable area for people to grow and enjoy. 

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