The Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Service's project to build new homes for adders has won the Bowland Award at the National Outstanding Natural Beauty Service Conference in Bath.

The award recognises outstanding contributions and is voted on by all 34 Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Services. 

Adders, which are Britain's only venomous snake, are considered a threatened species. 

Due to this the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Service has chosen it as one of the champion species of the area to focus conservation work on. 

Nathan Orr, Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Nature Recovery Ranger, said: “Alongside the important fact of actually building these new sites, offering both protection and an extension of the range of these incredible creatures, we've been able to draw lots of people in to the project, increasing their awareness of how vulnerable these snakes are. 

“We've had Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty volunteers involved, volunteers from the National Trust, Avon Wildlife Trust and Butterfly Conservation Trust plus lots of landowners who have housed the hibernacula; they all deserve special thanks and a share in this award. 

“It's great to see how direct action on the ground has an instant impact for wildlife and on the people who have helped.”