Shapwick Heath

Shapwick Heath

Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserve is a magnificent 530 hectare wetland reserve at the heart of the Somerset Moors and Levels. It is part of the ‘Avalon Marshes’, one of the largest areas of wetland in the UK.

The FSC Shapwick Heath guide features the special birds, mammals, reptiles insects and wild flowers of the reserve. Text on the reverse side reviews the major habitats found on the reserve. These habitats include lakes and reedbed, wet grassland, wet woodland, fen and mire, and ditches and rhynes. There is also a timeline of the reserve’s history from the end of the last glacial period onwards.

The Reserve has a fascinating geology and history, and a hugely rich and diverse flora and fauna. One of the keys to its biodiversity is its range and mosaic of habitats. They range from open water and reedbeds, through mire, fen and wet grassland, and on into wet woodland. This enables a wide array of birds, mammals, invertebrates and plants to find a home here. Set in a lowland landscape with broad open skies, overlooked by the iconic Glastonbury Tor, Shapwick Heath is a truly wonderful place to explore.

Shapwick Heath was produced in partnership with Natural England.