Somerset Wildlife Trust
Somerset’s Nature Matters Programme
Somerset’s coastal and wetland environments are under increasing pressure from major development; predicted climate change; and a lack of political will concerning the environment. This is exacerbated by a lack of understanding about the vital role played by nature in national and local economies and on peoples’ health and wellbeing.
The Somerset’s Nature Matters project aims to communicate the importance of nature – the products and services it provides – via a series of campaigns that will influence the way people think about nature.
Somerset Wildlife Trust is delighted to have been chosen by the Peter De Haan Charitable Trust as one of the environmental award winners. Somerset was acutely affected by the disastrous floods of 2013/14. Heavy rainfall, rapid run off, drainage and floodplain issues combined to create floods lasting many months, isolating local communities and damaging homes and endangering wildlife.
Helping people understand the importance of working with nature to make Somerset’s low-lying coastal and freshwater habitats more resilient in the face of climate change and rising sea levels has never been more relevant. This grant will enable Somerset Wildlife Trust to develop our advocacy and help more people understand that Somerset’s nature does matter. We will be able to champion the role of Somerset’s stunning and important natural environment to our economy, our health and wellbeing.
