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Somerset Environmental
and Ecological News
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As spring blossoms, we prepare for the clocks to spring forward an hour this Sunday, to mark the start of British Summer Time (BST). This delightful change coincides seamlessly with the Easter bank holiday weekend. After what has felt like an extended and rainy winter, the additional daylight invites us to relish the outdoors and connect with nature. As nature awakens, so can we!
Here are our news highlights for March:
• Somerset gigafactory plans move forward.
• Swimming pools in Somerset funding for energy efficiency upgrades.
• Peregrines return to Taunton church.
• Local Nature Recovery Strategy event fills village hall.
Best eco wishes
The Climate Team
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 Plans for the UK’s biggest electric vehicle battery facility have finally been confirmed for Somerset.
Agratas, a new business within the Tata Group, will be investing £4 billion in the factory at the Gravity Smart Campus site in Puriton, near Bridgwater.
The Agratas factory will create up to 4,000 jobs and many more as part of the supply chain, putting Somerset at the centre of the UK’s green energy revolution with the potential to kick-start countywide and regional economic growth and jobs.
The Leader of Somerset Council, Councillor Bill Revans, has described the plans as ‘momentous’ and of global significance.
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 An amazing discovery of what scientists believe is the world's earliest known fossilised forest was found in cliffs on the Minehead coast.
The palm tree like trees date between 419 and 358 million years and researchers from Cambridge and Cardiff Universities say they are the oldest fossilised trees ever found in Britain and the oldest known forest on Earth, being about four million years older than the previous record holder in New York State.
The peregrine nesting site on top of St Mary Magdaline Minster in Taunton has already started to see activity this year! Two adult peregrines have returned to the site for the 7th year. Somerset Council’s Volunteer Co-ordinator, Martin Cooper, is a trained and permitted bird ringer in his spare time and his role is the fitting of rings and taking of biometrics from the chicks.
Martin reported “Both adult birds have been seen visiting the gravel scrape on the church roof. ‘Bowing’ displays have been taking place and the male has been busy ‘digging’ out a small hollow within the scrape. There are also reports that mating between the pair has been seen, all great signs for another positive year for the pair.
Alongside ringing the birds to monitor the birds after fledging, this year the young will also be DNA swabbed. The data from these samples will be added to the National DNA Peregrine Database which is being compiled to help combat the illegal theft and trade of wild peregrines. By having this database, comparisons between the data in the database and DNA samples taken from birds that are suspected to have been illegally taken can be made. This scheme has recently helped catch two men from Scotland who had been illegally taking chicks from wild sites.”
Martin will be keeping us updated as the birds progress and hopefully rear a family. Volunteers are also looking into the possibility of a live webcam. If and when this happens, we will be sure to let you know so you can tune in!
Peregrine falcons are the fastest birds in the world, reaching speeds of up to 240 miles per hour while diving. They are known for their incredible hunting skills, and stunning aerial manoeuvrers. Peregrine falcons were once on the brink of extinction due to pesticides such as DDT, but conservation efforts have successfully revived their populations. How wonderful that they are nesting in the middle of Taunton for so many to watch and wonder.
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 Executive Member for Environment and Climate Change Dixie Darch was recently joined by Chris Poole from the Council’s Open Spaces team on a visit to meet the incredible volunteers at Swains Lane Nature Reserve at Wellington.
The reserve, which was once an orchard, has been transformed into a valuable wildlife site accommodating a variety of habitats and species. Surrounded by new housing development, it is an important asset for the local community – a healthy, sensory and tranquil outdoor space, where people go to exercise, walk their dog, or simply relax and enjoy the surroundings.
The visit was co-ordinated by Jackie Jeffery and guided by Simon Ratsey, with John Morton who has been involved in the Reserve for nearly 20 years – Lewis (stood next to Dixie) lives in a house overlooking the reserve and has also supported over the years. Jackie said:
"We are lucky to have a group of willing, active volunteers – from around Wellington but mostly from the Burrough Way estate that surrounds Swains Lane. Chris Poole can recall visiting the site as a boy and his interest and involvement has been invaluable in developing a close working relationship between volunteers and council staff who mow the grass and maintain the hedging"
Dixie and Chris saw first hand how much has been achieved at this small site to increase biodiversity, especially of native flora. Newts were seen rising in the pond, but it was a bit early for the resident slow worms. The team have also had great support from Transition Town Wellington.
Dixie said: “This sanctuary for wildlife is a wonderful example of communities and council working together to create space for wildlife and bring people close to nature. If you haven't visited before, I thoroughly recommend it. It’s good for the soul!”
Find out more and see how you can get involved at the Blackdown Hills website.
 Our tree strategist James Chapman recently helped out at the Geranium Trust Project in Stoford near Yeovil to create a 300m hedge. Species such as spindle were used which attracts the caterpillars of moths including the spindle ermine. The plants were funded by Carbon Aware Productions who have raised the money to support a number of Somerset tree planting projects. One of their main sponsors is Stink Films. They are superstars!
The Geranium Trust is a charity that provides a safe haven for anyone experiencing bereavement, isolation, loneliness or abuse in the Yeovil area. Their 26 acre site is run by a committed team who are turning the land into a thriving natural environment.
Since 1945 Britain has lost 50% of its hedges, and of those that remain in Somerset nearly 60% are poorly managed by being cut too often and too severely. They are an invaluable haven for insects & birds and form the corridors needed to give our wildlife cover and space.
Find out more about the The Geranium Trust and all the great work they do.
If you are looking to plant trees in the autumn, it’s good to start planning it now. If you have any questions or need tree planting advice, please contact our tree officers James and Craig at: woodlandcreation@somerset.gov.uk.
Quantock Hills National Landscape Partnership are asking people who work, live, visit and enjoy the Quantock Hills to choose what they think are the most important issues that need tackling in the National Landscapes.
Issues including nature, climate, social, economic, access and heritage are all being considered by the Quantock Hills National Landscape Partnership as part of the review of the Quantock Hills National Landscape Management Plan which will cover the period 2025 – 2030.
Have your say through an online survey which is open until 7 April.
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Our countryside rangers send a big thank you to Yeovil Men’s Shed for the donation of bird boxes made for the birds at Yeovil Country Park. The rangers have put them up with the help of the Monday volunteers.
If you visit Yeovil Country Park and use the Ninesprings café, you can watch live action from two of the bird boxes while you enjoy a cuppa. Everyone is very excited to see who will move in and nest.
You can keep up to date with everything happening at Yeovil Country Park on their Facebook page.
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 Elected members from Parish Councils and Somerset Council representing the Poldens, recently met at Cossington Village Hall to discuss how they could work collectively to take positive action for the climate. The seminar aimed to support local councils and communities to create an action plan to combat the effects of climate change, including flooding and heatwaves. Anyone with an interest in the Poldens can get involved to promote positive action for the climate, grow and connect Polden’s wild spaces and help support residents to take action for nature in their villages.
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 Somerset Council has been awarded £316,700 of grant funding from the government’s Swimming Pool Support Fund.
The ringfenced money from Sport England and the National Lottery will be used to install new energy efficiency measures in four Somerset leisure centres.
Frome and Wells Leisure Centres will get new swimming pool covers and solar panels installed on the roofs.
Chard Leisure Centre and Goldenstones Leisure Centre in Yeovil will have destratification fans installed. The fans circulate warm air built up by the ceilings back down to ground level to keep the pool halls warm.
Somerset Council is part of a significant partnership, the Wessex Net Zero Corridors Live Lab, an initiative which aims to create the UK’s first net-zero emission roads.
Live Labs 2, a three-year, £30million, UK-wide programme funded by the Department for Transport that will run until March 2026, with a five-year subsequent, extended monitoring and evaluation period. Seven projects in all, including Wessex, are being led by local authorities working alongside commercial and academic partners.
There will be three area or 'corridors' in Somerset, using cleaner, greener methods and materials to carry out key maintenance and repairs. These areas will be a test bed for innovation and new ways of thinking.
The first part of the process has been monitoring the current levels of carbon usage when carrying out maintenance work. This ‘carbon base-lining’ activity will help the team establish different ways of working which use less carbon and are better for the environment.
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 Photo credit: Royston Hunt
The Quantock Hills National Landscape and Somerset Council will be working in partnership to develop a flagship demonstrator farm near Nether Stowey.
New Stowey Farm is a 45-hectare holding on the border of Nether Stowey, at the eastern edge of the Quantock Hills National Landscape. The farm is owned by Somerset Council and was previously tenanted, most recently for grazing, and will continue to run as a working farm, employing regenerative agriculture techniques. The partnership aims to create nature rich farmland through habitat creation and restoration, realise carbon sequestration and climate actions and engage communities to increase understanding of agriculture and provide opportunities for learning, training and volunteering.
New electric buses will serve communities in the county thanks to a joint funding bid by Somerset Council and First Bus South and huge investment from the operator.
The 25 new double-decker and single decker buses will be funded by a £2.2 million grant from the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Zero Emission Bus Regional Area scheme, along with a £12.5 in investment from First Bus South which operates Buses of Somerset, so are coming to Somerset at no extra cost to the Council.
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 Last month Carhampton Climate Group welcomed an expert panel of speakers to their event about Nature Recovery in West Somerset: Cllr Dixie Darch (Lead Member for Environment and Climate Change) and Steve Dury (Somerset Council lead for Nature Recovery), and Ben Eardley (Project Manager, National Trust Riverlands & Beaver Projects). Visitors learned how Somerset Council is implementing its Environmental work and developing the Local Nature Recovery Strategy for Somerset; and how Porlock Vale’s new wetlands are attracting wildlife and helping flood prevention, some of the funding for which was obtained through a Somerset Council led partnership project (Co-Adapt) that resulted from a successful funding bid.
It was impressive to see the local level of interest and support for initiatives to protect and restore nature. The village hall was packed with visitors who put their own thoughts and questions to the presenters and got to view the National Trust’s virtual tour of the Holnicote beaver reserve. Many of them also took part in the Local Nature Recovery Survey and had their say on how nature matters to them here in Somerset.
Have your say
We’ve had a fantastic response to the survey so far with hundreds of Somerset people having their say on how nature maters to them. There is still time for you to have your say too, if you haven’t already. Survey closes on 30 April.
Help spread the word
We have a limited number of weather proof posters to promote the survey. If you would like to order one or two to put up where you are, please contact lorraine.hemmings@somerset.gov.uk with your postal address and put LNRS poster request in the subject line. We will get them to you as soon as we can.
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Take a stroll in the spring sunshine to discover the sights and sounds of the season. It’s a busy time in nature so there’s plenty for youngsters to get excited about. Look for scarlet ladybirds on fresh green leaves, spot vibrant wildflowers popping open, or listen for birds chirping as they gather food for their hungry chicks.
The Woodland Trust cares for more than 1,000 woods across the UK – wonderful places for family adventures in the fresh air. Find a wood near you.
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Check out all the brilliant eco events happening across Somerset There's something for everyone. Click on the Event Calendar button below to find out what's on and let us know about your eco events at climateemergency@somerset.gov.uk so we can tell our readers.
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Somerset Council has been an integral part of the development of a new tool that helps give the best available evidence in making decisions and actions required to adapt to a changing climate. The Local Climate Adaptation Tool (LCAT), developed by the University of Exeter worked with Somerset Council and other local authorities, to create a tool that equips decision-makers with accessible climate science. As our world heats up, the LCAT will help services plan for resilience from emergency response, highways maintenance to social care. Climate science is complex and hard to navigate, this new tool helps users understand its implications for specific circumstances and allow them to plan and avoid the worst impacts.
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If you are over 18 and have some time to spare Secret World Wildlife Rescue have a various volunteering roles you can get involved with.
Secret World Wildlife Rescue rescues around 5,000 animals every year and this is made possible with the help of over 300 volunteers. Volunteers help with everything from rescuing animal casualties, answering phones at reception, supporting our animal care staff, helping in our laundry, maintaining the facilities and grounds, taking animals to and from the local vets and wildlife releases.
Opportunities are also available for work experience placements for students over 18 years old who are on Animal Management and Conservation related courses. Plus, work placements for students looking to work in other departments including fundraising, business administration, retail or finance.
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If you want to give back to the community, support causes you are passionate about, gain new experiences, or build skills and networks, we some great volunteering opportunities with the council including a Rights of way volunteer, Volunteer Engagement Ranger at Ham Hill and Butterfly Conservation volunteers and more. Find out more about Somerset Council's environment focused volunteering, or visit the Somerset Council volunteering page for the full volunteering opportunities across all our services.
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 Visit our Grants and funding page to see what see what opportunities are available for your community environmental project.
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 Our tip this month is to make sure you join the Waste Not Somerset Facebook group. This is a platform for organisations and individuals to promote their waste action events, share tips and ideas, and inspire others to get involved in and around the county.
Waste Not Somerset is here to make a difference. No matter what you care about - whether it’s plastic, reusing items, repair cafés, food, composting, or textiles or any other kind of waste product, the mission is to connect people, share knowledge, and help us all waste less. So why not pop over to their Facebook page and join in the waste not vibe!
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 Please do share this newsletter on your social media platforms and websites or forward it to a friend. All you need to do is click on the share icon at the foot of the page to share the love.
Tell us about the great environmental work happening where you live, or what you do to make a difference every day with your brilliant eco hacks and tips.
You can make suggestions about what you would like to see more of in future and have your say on previous stories and topics.
We would love to hear from you.
Get in touch at climateemergency@somerset.gov.uk
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