Our Strategy

Nature is part of who we are. It shapes our lives, our landscapes, our food, our health, our wellbeing and our resilience to climate change. But here in Somerset – as across the UK – wildlife is declining, habitats are shrinking, and climate impacts like flooding and extreme weather are becoming more frequent.

For over 60 years, Somerset Wildlife Trust has worked to protect and restore nature across the county. As the scale and urgency of the nature and climate crisis grows, we are focusing our efforts where they can make the greatest difference – and building a powerful movement for change.

This updated and refreshed strategy sets out how we will help nature recover, support people to act, influence the decisions that shape our future, and remain a strong, effective charity for the long term.

Download a copy of the Strategy Refresh document

With supporters and partners, we are already seeing change since the launch of our Wilder Somerset 2030 strategy: land secured for nature, communities taking action, young people leading, and stronger evidence influencing decisions. 

But nature is still under pressure, and the next few years are critical.

Somerset’s rich variety of landscapes is what makes it such a special place – for wildlife and for people. From our dramatic coastline to our peaceful wetlands, rolling hills and farmed valleys, each place offers something unique. Together, these landscapes support a huge range of habitats, species and communities.

We work across the whole county – supporting communities, farmers and landowners to care for nature. We also know that by focusing effort on key places, we can make a bigger, lasting difference. That’s why we have a particular focus on four landscapes – Somerset’s coast and seas, the Levels and Moors, the Tone Vale and the Mendip Hills - places where we can restore nature at scale, connect habitats, and create real benefits for people, wildlife and the wider county. 

Across all four landscapes, our goal is the same: to restore nature in a way that benefits everyone – supporting wildlife, strengthening communities, working alongside farmers, and helping Somerset thrive.

We have also taken this period of reflection to look at our organisational values. These underpin the work we do and are the essence of who we are and what we stand for.

We are:

Ambitious
We are brave for nature, setting bold goals and leading with courage to deliver meaningful impact

Collaborative
We aim to build strong, trusting relationships with colleagues, partners and communities, valuing diverse voices in shaping our decisions and actions that are always focussed on achieving more for nature

Evidence‑led
We seek out robust evidence, stay curious about what works, and use insight to make informed, effective decisions

Accountable
We act with integrity, transparency and respect — for ourselves, for each other, and for the natural environment