Severn Shoreline, Levels and Moors
Programme summary
The areas within this programme are recognised by Natural England as Coastal Floodplain Grazing Marshes, a priority habitat made up of a mosaic of grasslands and wetland features.
We will focus on intertidal habitats, wetlands and peatlands, plus some traditional orchards and ponds. Our key aim is to improve and restore key habitats, such as wetlands, watercourses, ditches, rhynes and wet woodlands.
We will explore the rewetting of lowland peatland areas to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The management and use of re-wet peatlands will be determined by the landowners, with wetland farming systems and habitat creation among the options.
There are many opportunities for nature-based solutions to deliver long term climate resilience in our shorelines, levels and moors, as these important habitats sequester large amounts of carbon, whilst aiding flood control, water quality and many other ecosystem services that we all depend on.
Shoreline management schemes, led by the Environment Agency, including coastal realignment in some places, could be complemented by work further inland.
In this landscape especially, it will be essential to seek expert advice and liaise with agencies, farmers and other landowners before making any changes to the way land or water is managed.
We will work with farmers, landowners and communities to ensure their voices and needs sit at the heart of any plan, as we make these precious natural habitats richer and more resilient for now and for generations to come.
The Programme will:
Programme area
The programme area will be the levels and moors of North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, which stretch along the whole Severn Estuary shoreline of the West of England. This area makes up most of the 7km inland buffer of the Severn Estuary European Marine Site designation and contains all the designated Coastal Floodplain Grazing Marsh Habitat in the region.
The complexity of the drainage systems used to manage water across these floodplain areas means that you cannot draw hard boundaries across the landscape in the same way that you might for other habitat types. Works to rewet or create habitats can affect the neighbouring land, meaning a much more flexible approach to project development and design is required. The Local Nature Recovery Strategy mapped measures for wetland and other habitat are only a guide as to which interventions will be valuable in a given location.
In this landscape especially, it will be essential to seek expert advice and liaise with agencies and other landowners before making significant changes to the way land or water is managed.
The Severn Shoreline, Levels and Moors are internationally important for wildlife. To protect, restore and create thriving and resilient ecosystems for both nature and people, its vital that partners, communities and landowners work together with vision and ambition at local and landscape scale.
Dr Rhoda Ballinger, Chair, Severn Estuary Partnership
Key measures
Improving wetlands and Coastal Floodplain Grazing Marsh
Wetland creation and restoration will create stepping stones of vital habitat across our landscape, linking coastal habitats to those further inland and also providing high-tide roosts for wetland birds. Elsewhere we will improve grassland and ditch habitats with sustainable grazing and other nature-friendly agricultural practices as we re-wet some heavily drained areas. Restoring these areas will involve managing water flows, improving water quality and establishing buffer zones. Where possible, we would like to explore the removal of barriers in rhynes and ditches to allow passage for eels and fish.
Restoring peatlands
We aim to restore and preserve these carbon-rich ecosystems by holding water levels at or within 30cm below the land height. This will support the development of wet features such as seasonal pools and carr woodlands. These measures increase water retention, thereby preventing the peat from degrading and reducing the risk of peat fires. We will build on hydrological modelling to understand likely water availability under different future climate scenarios, as this will greatly influence land and water management. To future-proof their businesses, we will help farmers and landowners to explore regenerative agricultural practices and wetland farming techniques as well as access new sources of funding.
Managing intertidal habitats
Some areas along the Severn coastline are earmarked for managed coastal realignment under the Environment Agency’s Shoreline Management Plans. This will result in the creation of new saltmarshes and mudflats – both precious natural habitats and buffers against coastal flooding. Inland wetland creation and high-tide roosts in the Levels will complement these efforts, providing refuges for wildlife displaced by the changes along the coast. We will work closely with the Environment Agency and other statutory bodies to ensure any coastal realignment or other shoreline management works for nature recovery as well as climate adaptation.
Restoring traditional orchards and ponds
The restoration and management of traditional orchards will help preserve heritage varieties of fruit trees and maintain the traditional farming practices that support biodiversity. We also aim to create and restore pond ecosystems, providing new, resilient freshwater habitats that are better protected from pollution and invasive species.
Data gathering and modelling
A lack of robust environmental data poses challenges for decision-making about land and water management in our estuary habitats, not least potential Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects such as a tidal barrage. We will partner with academic institutions, and collaborate through the Severn Estuary Partnership, to plug gaps in environmental and hydrological data and we will monitor key species such as water voles, glowworms, eels and salmon across the programme area. We will continue building on hydrological modelling efforts to better understand future water availability under different climate scenarios, ensuring that the necessary infrastructure is in place to manage potential water storage areas.
Working with farmers
We will continue to build on the Moor Associations model being facilitated by the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (Southwest) and Avon Wildlife Trust, helping farmers in this complex and fragmented landscape to share issues and make collective decisions based on what is in the interests of the whole moor. We will also build on the work Bristol Avon Rivers Trust to slow the flow of water higher up in the catchments. Working together on a “whole catchment” approach can help improve the river network for nature, address water quality issues and help reduce flood risks on the levels.
Education & public engagement
We will work with people across the programme area, including with people from nearby urban areas like Weston-super-Mare, Clevedon, Portishead and Thornbury. We want to engage with an increasing number and diversity of community groups, schools and nature and health initiatives to raise awareness of the importance of wetlands and climate resilience and get people more involved in volunteering and other nature-connection activities. We aim to balance public engagement activities and recreational pressures with the need to protect biodiversity, ensuring that local people can enjoy these precious and beautiful landscapes whilst safeguarding their ecological integrity.
Spotlight on species
Our Severn Shoreline, Levels and Moors programme will have a transformative impact on species that depend on the diverse and fragile ecosystems of the Severn Estuary and surrounding wetlands. These habitats are internationally important for a range of birds, fish, mammals, and invertebrates, many of which are highly vulnerable or of conservation concern.
The Severn Estuary is of global significance for wildfowl and wading birds, providing critical feeding and roosting sites for species like the Shelduck, Gadwall, Redshank, Dunlin, and Curlew, particularly during migration. The Bewick’s Swan, critically endangered on a global scale, depends on the estuary's wetlands for wintering grounds, as does the White-fronted Goose, in internationally significant numbers. Plans are in place to reintroduce the White-tailed Eagle to the region (see Returning Species).
The estuary is also home to a wide range of migratory fish species, including the Atlantic Salmon, Twaite Shad, and Sea and River Lamprey. Restoring wetlands and creating new water channels will further increase the connectivity of the river system, allowing fish to move freely between freshwater and estuarine environments, which is vital for their breeding cycles. The critically endangered European Eel will benefit from the removal of barriers to migration in rhynes and ditches, as well as from improvements to water quality.
Water Voles, endangered due to habitat loss and predation by invasive American Mink, will benefit from restored ditch habitats, improved water quality control of invasive species. Otters will benefit from improved fish populations and habitat connectivity.
We also aim to supportrare invertebrates. The Glow Worm, thrives in grassland and wetland environments with a balance of open and shaded areas. The Hairy Dragonfly will benefit from improved water quality and the creation of new ponds and wetlands to feed and breed in.
Our wetland and peatland restoration will support many rare plant species, such as the Lesser Butterfly Orchid, which thrives in damp, species-rich meadows. We also hope to protect and increase areas of Sphagnum moss, a vital species which plays a crucial role in peat formation and carbon sequestration.
Why is this a WENP priority?
The Severn Estuary is one of the most important coastal ecosystems in the UK, with one of the largest tidal ranges in the world. It is internationally recognised for its significance to wildfowl and wading birds and migratory fish species. Many other species rely on the intertidal habitats, levels, and moors, including otters, water voles, bats, and great crested newts, as well as rare plants and invertebrates.
Historically, the North Somerset and South Gloucestershire levels and moors were a mosaic of saltmarsh and estuarine intertidal habitats, supporting a rich array of wildlife. Over centuries, much of this area has been drained for agriculture, so it is now crossed by a series of canalised rivers and an extensive network of ditches and rhynes.
Decades of heavy drainage and intensive agricultural use have led to many of the associated features disappearing and the ditch habitats suffering a steep decline.
Our region is important for peatlands. There are over 1,000 hectares of peaty soils between the Gordano Valley, Tickenham and Yatton, making up a significant portion of the UK’s lowland peat. Most is currently drained for farming, which causes greenhouse gas emissions from the dried-out peat.
The area sits ator below sea level, making it a priority for climate adaptation with the increasing impacts of climate change, from sea-level rise to more frequent and intense storms. Rising river levels, coupled with changes in rainfall patterns, exacerbate the risk of both fluvial and coastal flooding.
Good water quality is essential for the health of our floodplain areas – for nature, for people and for agriculture, but runoff from higher up in the catchment is continuing to cause significant degradation. In 2021, Natural England downgraded all the Sites of Special Scientific Interest across the area to ‘Unfavourable Declining’ due to water quality issues. The issues of sewerage outlets and runoff from agriculture must be tackled higher up in the river system - a priority for our Restoring our Rivers programme.
Delivery readiness
The projects developed under our Severn Shoreline, Levels and Moors programme are designed to complement The Environment Agency’s Shoreline Management Plan for managing flood and coastal erosion risk and we are already working closely with the Environment Agency to explore opportunities. We are building on existing relationships with statutory partners such as Natural England, the Environment Agency, and local councils so that together we can ensure that shoreline management and flood resilience strategies deliver for nature, people and climate.
Several projects are already underway – laying the groundwork for a larger programme to follow:
Revitalising North Somerset's Peatlands: Led by North Somerset Council, this DEFRA-funded project focuses on wetland creation to help future-proof water availability and mitigate local climate impacts. It aims to develop an evidence base for adaptive management of water levels and provide landowner guidance on wetter farming practices and hydraulic modelling.
Somerset Moor Futures: A collaboration between Avon Wildlife Trust and the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (Southwest), this DEFRA-funded project focuses on five deep peat moors in the North Somerset, Axe-Brue, and Parrett catchments. It brings together farmers and landowners into “Moor Associations” – groups who explore how land management can be adapted to protect our precious peatlands, with an emphasis on emissions reductions and sustainable practices.
Wilder Waterways: Avon Wildlife Trust and Bristol Avon Rivers Trust are collaborating to provide landowners with advice on water management, with a focus on wetland restoration in the North Somerset Levels, supporting improvements in ditch habitats, water quality and habitat creation.
Linking the Levels: This South Gloucestershire Council-led partnership programme, funded by the West of England Combined Authority and partner match funding, is currently in its development phase. It is focused on habitat restoration, particularly wetlands, and aids the recovery of key species such as water voles, glow worms and eels, as well as exploring the creation of new high-tide roosts for birds. Another key activity will be the control of invasive species. The project aims to engage local communities with their landscape, whilst assessing visitor impacts on sensitive habitats.
Case Study:
Linking the Levels - Invasive Species Biosecurity
As part of our work to protect, restore and connect habitat for nature, taking action to find, remove and stop the spread of invasive non native plant and animal species is vital to combat the negative impacts they bring to ecosystems if left unchecked. Invasive species are a significant threat for our native wildlife and cost the UK over 1.8 billion pounds annually. The Bristol Zoological Society UK Conservation team, based at Bristol Zoo Project in South Gloucestershire, are national experts on biosecurity and are leading work to survey, remove and put in place plans for ongoing control and management of invasive species across the project area. This includes control of invasive plant species including Himalayan Balsam, Water Fern and Japanese Knotweed, and invasive animal species including Mink and Signal Crayfish. Water bodies managed for angling and other recreation activities can also get involved in the pioneering AQUA biosecurity programme which provides support and accreditation to prepare and deliver site Biosecurity Plans to bronze, silver or gold standard. The team are preparing a Biosecurity Action plan for the Lower Severn Vale, Levels and Shore covering the Linking the Levels project area, and working with partners to contribute to a Biosecurity Plan for the Severn Estuary.
We welcome support from corporate and community groups and volunteers to join us for surveying and weed pulls.
Our call for support
The Severn Shoreline, Levels and Moors Programme is already well into the development phase. In North Somerset, the two Defra-funded pilot projects (‘Revitalising North Somerset’s Peatlands’ and ‘Somerset Moor Futures’), will report in spring 2025. In South Gloucestershire, the development phase of ‘Linking the Levels’ will complete in summer 2026.
In both cases, we will set out detailed plans for delivery and identify opportunities to finance restoration through carbon and nature markets. For example, we expect that the proven potential for carbon sequestration through saltmarsh and peatland restoration will attract investment. We will also explore opportunities for water quality trading and investment in flood risk mitigation, as well as aligning with Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects such as tidal energy schemes.
We are looking for partners who want to come with us on the next phase of our journey. In particular, by supporting the implementation of the plans we develop with our current funding. Whether you are a potential delivery partner, landowner, donor or something else, please get in touch today to learn how you can support us.
Lead contacts:
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