1. A changing landscape

2. Internationally important wetlands: Biodiversity Water
Photo: Joy Russell
Internationally important wetlands:
Biodiversity
Water
Carbon storage (peat)
Archaeology
Working landscape:
Farmland
Peat extraction
Nature reserves
Tourism

3. Best examples of habitat / Rare habitats
Site of Special Scientific Interest (‘Triple-S I’): Protected by law to preserve wildlife or geology
Best examples of habitat / Rare habitats
Photo: Joy Russell
National Nature Reserves: Protect the UK’s most important habitats and species. Outdoor laboratories
Ramsar: Framework for conservation of areas of international importance
Biodiversity Action Plan: International programme to address threatened species and habitats
Scheduled Monuments
Protection of nationally important archaeological sites

5. The Avalon Marshes
Somerset, UK
Image: Red Kite

6. N E S W
The Avalon
Marshes

7. <10m above sea level, in places it is below sea level!
Low-lying wetlands:
<10m above sea level, in places it is below sea level!
Mix of habitats: wet woodland, reedbed, grassland, bog, fen, water, farmland
Between the Mendip and Polden Hills - highest point is Glastonbury Tor (once and island)
Layers of peat hold layers of history
Photo: Joy Russell
Photo: Joy Russell

8. Nature reserves
Farmland
Villages
Glastonbury Town and Tor
Historical/archaeological sites
Tourism

9. Photo: Lynne Newton
Photo: Lynne Newton
Photo: John Crispin
Photo: Lynne Newton

13. The Abbott’s Way (Stone-Age) Meare Heath Track (Bronze-Age)
Ancient track-ways
The Sweet Track (3806BC)
The Abbott’s Way (Stone-Age)
Meare Heath Track (Bronze-Age)
Replica of The Sweet Track
Image: E Mortlemans

15. Lake Villages
Meare (from 300BC): a seasonal marketplace
Glastonbury (from 250BC): a permanent settlement inhabited for approx. 200 years

16. Burtle

17. Roman industry
Salt – very important for preserving; used for trade
‘Salterns’ also used for forging counterfeit coins!
Huge hoard of Roman silver coins found near Shapwick

18. Somerset
‘Land of the summer people’
First named during Anglo-Saxon times
Farming
Abundance of resources

19. The Middle Ages
Disputes between Glastonbury Abbey and Bishop of Wells over land ownership in the Avalon Marshes
The Abbot’s Fish House by Meare Pool supplies fish to the Abbots of Glastonbury
Image: Saxton
Image: Red Kite

20. 18th Century – division and enclosure of land begins Rhynes (reens)
Draining the Marshes
18th Century – division and enclosure of land begins
Rhynes (reens)
Droves
Drains
Photo: Joy Russell

21. Peat extraction - 19th Century

22. Peat extraction – 20th Century
Change from fuel and animal bedding to compost
Extraction and processing by machine, not hand
Plastic sacks rather than truck or hessian bags
1960s-1980s industry peaks
1990s pressure on industry due to environmental concerns
Image: Peter Alexander

23. Farming:
Large amount of land in Avalon Marshes used for farming, and many people working as farmers
Seasonal – summer grazing of cattle and sheep on Marshes (winter on higher land)
Farming for conservation – partnerships between farmers and nature reserve managers

24. The landscape today:
Voids left by peat extraction have filled with water and now provide habitat for wildlife
The unusual landscape is unique in its lines and shapes, and is a mosaic of different habitats
Photo: RSPB

25. Characteristic wetland species – willow, common reed, yellow iris etc
Flora:
Characteristic wetland species – willow, common reed, yellow iris etc
Important and rare species – sundew, cotton tail grass, devil’s bit scabius, royal fern, several orchids, sphagnum mosses
Indicators of healthy habitats – meadows, bogs, fens etc
Photo: Joy Russell

26. Common wetland species – kingfisher, swan, grey heron etc
Photo: Lynne Newton
Photo: Lynne Newton
Birds:
Common wetland species – kingfisher, swan, grey heron etc
Conservation success stories - great white egret, bittern
Famous spectacles - starling murmurations
Photo: Lynne Newton
Photo: Lynne Newton

27. Photo: Lynne Newton
Photo: Joy Russell
Thousands of invertebrate species, including rarities – shrill carder bee, lesser silver diving beetle, shining ram’s horn snail
Reptiles and amphibians – adders, grass snake, slow worms, lizards, newts (including the protected great crested newt)
Mammals including the protected water vole, plus otters, and rare bats (greater and lesser horseshoe)
Photo: Joy Russell
Photo: Lynne Newton
Photo: Lynne Newton

28. Photo: David Tipling 20/20 Vision Photo: Ross Hoddinott 20/20 Vision
Photo: Joy Russell