North Somerset Levels and Moors, and Bleadon Moor
As a low-lying area that is entirely in the flood zone and largely drained by rhynes (ditches), the North Somerset Levels and Moors (NSLM) provides some good opportunities to expand the area of wetland habitat where raising water levels is feasible. This area does not include the peaty soils on Tickenham and Nailsea Moors, which are covered separately.
Puxton Moor SSSI and Biddle Street Yatton SSSI could be focus areas for additional wetland habitat creation through the raising of water levels, and should at the least be restored to favourable condition.
On farmed land that continues to be drained by ditches, best management of rhynes for wildlife, less intensive grazing, reversion of maize cultivation to grazing, and creation of wet areas in fields would all contribute towards nature recovery in this area.
Easing existing barriers to fish passage in the ditch and rhyne network would also help the critically endangered European eel as well as other fish species.
Poor water quality is a limitation to nature recovery across the NSLM and is important to address; reducing urban and agricultural pollution into the ditch and rhyne network would benefit freshwater wildlife. Sources of pollution that might need focused solutions (such as constructed wetlands) include the urban outfall from Nailsea and M5 outfalls.
Priorities for nature recovery
Delivering the priorities for nature recovery is particularly important in the mapped Focus Areas for Nature Recovery. ‘Landscape recovery’ measures, which will have the biggest impact on nature recovery, are particularly relevant in these Focus Areas.
The role of rivers and streams as ecological corridors through the landscape is enhanced, with diverse riparian habitat that benefits a range of species, stabilises banks, captures nutrients, regulates water temperature and provides vital shade during warm weather.
| Measures | Most relevant to | Land type | Indicative level of land-use impact for nature |
| Continue or restore willow pollarding alongside rivers, rhynes and ditches* | Farmers and landowners | River | Environmental stewardship |
More rivers and streams have natural courses and profiles, enable free passage of fish, and have more diverse in-river habitat, including spawning habitat in headwater streams.
| Measures | Most relevant to | Land type | Indicative level of land-use impact for nature |
| Modification (or, where feasible, removal) of barriers in rhynes and ditches to allow passage for eels and other fish* | Farmers and landowners | River | N/A |
There is a greater amount of land where extensive grazing creates diverse, dynamic and shifting habitat mosaic, including successional habitats and scrub.
| Measures | Most relevant to | Land type | Indicative level of land-use impact for nature |
| On areas that are currently biodiversity-poor, use a mix of free-roaming herbivores with different grazing habits to create a dynamic and shifting mosaic of habitats. Ideally, this should be done in a large enough area for natural processes to create habitat variety. | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Landscape recovery |
| Reduce the intensity of existing cattle grazing to improve biodiversity and create dynamic grassland mosaics; this could include introducing more hardy, native breeds of cattle, and introducing ponies alongside them. | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Landscape recovery |
| Manage areas of scrub that are in good condition to avoid them losing their scrub or thicket-like characteristics by, for example, coppicing on a suitable rotation and using appropriate grazing regimes. | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Landscape recovery |
There are more and better-connected species-rich neutral grasslands, including traditional hay meadows, that help support resilient, diverse pollinator and insect populations.
| Measures | Most relevant to | Land type | Indicative level of land-use impact for nature |
| Restore species-rich neutral grassland on infertile soils and/or adjacent to existing species-rich grasslands. | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Landscape recovery |
| Convert improved grassland or enhance ‘semi-improved’ grassland to species-rich neutral grassland with greater species diversity. | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Landscape recovery |
| Arable reversion to species-rich neutral grassland where land is unproductive or arable farming is financially unviable. | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Landscape recovery |
| Restore species-rich lowland meadows with appropriate ongoing management. | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Environmental Stewardship |
| Measures | Most relevant to | Land type | Indicative level of land-use impact for nature |
| Restore and establish traditional orchards, including community orchards, with a focus on maintaining locally distinctive varieties | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Landscape recovery |
| Protect existing traditional orchards and continue to manage them well for wildlife | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Landscape recovery |
| Measures | Most relevant to | Land type | Indicative level of land-use impact for nature |
| Where raising water levels is feasible, create wetland habitat with appropriate management in place to create and maintain a diverse structure* | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Landscape recovery |
| Create wet areas and wetland scrapes in grazed fields to benefit wading birds such as lapwing* | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Environmental Stewardship |
| Create areas of wet grassland / wet meadows for wading birds and wildfowl* | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Environmental Stewardship |
| Create and manage species-rich grassland with raised water levels* | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Landscape recovery |
| Manage existing wetland habitats to maintain/improve their value to wildlife. Management techniques will depend on the type of wetland habitat present | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Landscape recovery |
| Ensure the best management of rhynes/ditches for wildlife* | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Environmental Stewardship |
| Measures | Most relevant to | Land type | Indicative level of land-use impact for nature |
| Manage existing wood pasture and parkland to maximise their value to wildlife and ensure continued survival of mature and veteran trees | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Landscape recovery |
| Carry out specialist tree surgery as needed to extend the lives of veteran and ancient trees | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Landscape recovery |
There are more waterbodies that are in good ecological status and support thriving populations of fish and other freshwater wildlife.
| Measures | Most relevant to | Land type | Indicative level of land-use impact for nature |
| Create a sediment pond or trap to provide an area where muddy run-off from fields or tracks is allowed to pond, so that sediment will settle out before entering watercourses | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Sustainable farming |
| Reduce run-off of pollutants from farmland through the use of best practice in applying fertiliser, manure and slurry | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Sustainable farming |
| Establish a buffer strip (which can contain long grasses, trees, and shrubs) of 4-12m on field boundaries or runoff channels. This can reduce nutrient and pollutant runoff into watercourses and provide habitat for wildlife | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Sustainable farming |
| Improve management of manure and slurry to reduce pollution (e.g. roofing manure storage or manure storage pads) | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Sustainable farming |
| Buffer rhynes/ditches to reduce run off of pollution into them and to provide additional habitat* | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Sustainable farming |
| Use constructed wetlands to settle out pollution from the M5 and junctions before it enters watercourses* | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Environmental Stewardship |
| Reduce the pollution caused by the transport network (particularly by cars through tyre and brake wear) by encouraging reduced use of private cars and more careful driving styles, encouraging manufacturers to produce tyres with less ecologically damaging components, and ensuring regular emptying of gullies. | Local Government Businesses Communities |
N/A | N/A |
| Reduce the frequency of continuous and intermittent point source pollution from sewage discharges | Businesses | N/A | N/A |
| Reduce the quantity of pollutants entering the freshwater environment from wastewater treatment works | Businesses | N/A | N/A |
| Ensure correct management of private septic tanks to reduce leakage of pollutants into the environment; and investigate and resolve drain misconnections in homes | Communities | N/A | N/A |
| Reduce demand on water supply through more efficient use of water in homes, businesses, and in farming | Businesses Communities Farmers and landowners |
N/A | N/A |
| Use constructed wetlands in wastewater treatment to reduce the amount of pollutants entering the freshwater environment, while providing wetland habitat | Businesses | N/A | N/A |
| Measures | Most relevant to | Land type | Indicative level of land-use impact for nature |
| Remove and control invasive floating pennywort in waterways* | Farmers and landowners Local Government |
River | N/A |
There is more sustainable and regenerative agriculture that minimises the use of potentially harmful inputs including pesticides and artificial fertilisers, and regenerates the health and carbon stock of soils.
| Measures | Most relevant to | Land type | Indicative level of land-use impact for nature |
| Use sustainable soil management techniques, including undersowing of crops, reduced or no tillage, reducing compaction etc. | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Sustainable Farming |
| Establish a multi-species winter cover crop to protect soil from erosion and compaction, and improve soil biology | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Sustainable Farming |
| Reduce the use of pesticides through integrated pest management, including use of companion crops; and leave areas unsprayed to support arable wildflowers | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Sustainable Farming |
| Use precision farming techniques to reduce the use of pesticides | Farmers and landowners Communities |
Countryside | Sustainable Farming |
| Reduce or eliminate the application of fertiliser or manure on grassland, including through the use of precision farming techniques | Farmers and landowners Local Government |
Countryside | Sustainable Farming |
| Provide a more species-rich herbal ley for grazing livestock in place of an intensive perennial rye grass sward | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Sustainable Farming |
| Reduce the use of antibiotics and worming products in livestock, to improve the value of their dung to wildlife | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Sustainable Farming |
The region’s populations of Greater and Lesser Horseshoe bats, and other rare bat species are protected, and they have sufficient foraging habitat and landscape-scale connectivity to diversify the gene pool.
| Measures | Most relevant to | Land type | Indicative level of land-use impact for nature |
| Install bat boxes and bat night roosts where this is suitable foraging habitat to extend bats’ foraging ranges and increase the resilience of bat populations | Businesses Communities Farmers and landowners |
Countryside | N/A |
| Protect existing and create new dark, vegetated corridors to enhance connectivity and dispersal routes between key roosts | Local Government Farmers and landowners |
Countryside | N/A |
| Measures | Most relevant to | Land type | Indicative level of land-use impact for nature |
| Control populations of American mink to protect native species, including water vole | Farmers and landowners | N/A | N/A |
| Carefully planned reintroductions of water vole | Local Government | N/A | N/A |
Relevant priority species
- Bewick's Swan
- Eel
- Greater Horseshoe Bat
- House Martin
- Lapwing
- Lesser Horseshoe Bat
- Redshank
- Swallow
- Water Vole
- White-fronted Goose