Somerset Wetlands

The low-lying wetlands of the Somerset Levels and Moors are internationally renowned for their bird-life.  The area also contains important historic features, including remains of ancient settlements and networks of timber track ways preserved in the peat.  The Government's aims in this area are to conserve and enhance the traditional landscape and its wildlife habitats and historic features.  Farmers who are part of the Governments scheme maintain grassland farming and manage ditches (known local as rhynes - pronounced reen) in ways that help sustain aquatic plants and animals.

The Levels and Moors of Somerset are the most important area of "Wetland" left in England.

The area was once an inlet of the sea and the flood plain of five rivers.  Over hundreds of years a wide coastal belt - "The Levels" - was built from clays deposited by the sea and this restricted the river flows to the sea.  the inland area - "The Moors" - thus became marsh, fen and bog.  The river valleys became filled with peat deposits which contain well preserved remains from past activities from 4000 BC, including prehistoric track ways and lake villages.  There are other historical associations with both King Alfred and the monasteries.  This is the landscape which gave Somerset its name......"the land of Summer"...... a fertile land providing grazing for animals in summer but largely covered with water and inaccessible in winter.

The area is still not well drained.  The "Levels" are higher than the "Moors", the rivers have slight gradients to the Bristol Channel and some of the Moors are at or below sea level.  The history of the area is of man's struggle to overcome flooding from the rivers and the sea.

Large numbers of wading birds breed here and the winter floods attract waterfowl including, teals, wigeons and lapwings

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