Priorswood Nature Reserve

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In the Beginning

Unlike most websites about Nature Reserves, this one starts very much at the beginning of the story. Before it is even a Nature Reserve in fact.

Not only does this 'Reserve' currently consist mainly of a dome of claggy clay subsoil, but it is not yet a Nature Reserve and without enough public interest it might not even become one. There's more bad news, as little more than one metre down, this clay turns into a load of old rubbish - literally - as this is a former landfill site.

So why the interest?

On a more positive note, this land is a reasonable size, nearly 40 acres I believe, and Viridor, the leaseholders, have finished filling it, draining it, covering it and all the things that landfill operators have to do. Except for one thing and that is making it look good and turning it into something useful for the local community. The timing is now right for doing something constructive with this land. It's not suitable for house building, but it is suitable for conversion into a Nature Reserve. The local Council suggest 'Community Woodland'.

Is it really that Bad now?

I paint a gloomy picture of the current state of the main area, but that overlooks its great potential. For a start, it is bordered on three sides by a band of trees of varying ages. It is close to, in fact nestles between, two attractive waterways the River Tone and the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal. The surrounding areas already support plenty of wildlife like Badgers, Otters, Herons and Kingfishers. So the location is good - all we have to do is import some topsoil, landscape it, plant trees, shrubs, hedges, make paths, build bridges, steps, maybe ponds. Since the original picture above the area has been seeded with a grass and wildflower mix and this is growing strongly.

Who could do all this work?

Wyvern Waste the former leaseholders approached the Somerset Wildlife Trust for help with the practical management. But Viridor have taken over Wyvern Waste and now the future plans for this area are unknown.

The nearest nature reserve to the Priorswood site is Hankridge Farm Local Nature Reserve and many birds pass between the two places.