The Mendip Hills National Landscape organisation has launched a consultation to gather feedback on priorities for the management of the countryside over the next five years.

Shaping the 2025 to 2030 management plan, the team wants to hear from residents, businesses and visitors to the area about what they think the plan should focus on.

The consultation asks what people love about the area, and what steps the Mendip Hills partnership can be taken to improve it. The partnership is the overarching body that brings all the relevant authorities together that conserve and enhance the national landscape.

The plan covers the themes of nature recovery, climate change, people, and place. It sets out the Partnership’s approach for managing Mendip Hills with these themes in mind.

Jim Hardcastle, manager of Mendip Hills National Landscape, said: “The Mendip Hills is a distinctive and nationally important landscape, with diverse habitats supporting abundant wildlife.

“We know it’s a place that so many enjoy and care about. Such a special place requires careful and considered management. As we prepare the next management plan, we want to know if we’re prioritising what matters most to you – the people who live, work in, and explore the area.

“We invite you to share your thoughts with us to help shape the future of our countryside.“

From the last review, the organisation realised that people were concerned about the loss of nature so it created a Nature Recovery Plan for the area and a Nature Recovery Ranger, who now leads practical work across the landscape.