Mendip Activity Centre hosted the secretary for the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) on February 1.

Tamara Finkelstein's visit was an opportunity to display the efforts towards preserving the nationally important Mendip Hills Landscape.

Euclidean efforts with Mendip Hills National Landscape go towards supporting their nature recovery scheme, designed to construct an improved, unified, and expansive national network of verdant wildlife-rich spots.

This tour was a thorough examination into the biodiversity of the landscape, illuminating concepts to further support their recovery.

Manager of the Mendip Hills National Landscape Team, Jim Hardcastle, said: "Mendip Activity Centre was the ideal showcase for the visit as it highlights how a great partnership between the public and private sector can help nature recover.

"We've produced a Nature Recovery Plan to show how we can all adapt to the ecological emergency but we need strong partnerships on the ground to deliver national targets."

Somerset County Gazette: Tamara Finkelstein's visit was an opportunity to display the efforts towards preserving the

The permanent secretary was privy to a hibernaculum, one among 15 built as part of a project to provide new habitats for the threatened adder species.

Mendip Hills is a stronghold for the adder, which is one of the eight champion species identified in the vicinity, with the hazel dormouse, small pearl-bordered fritillary, greater horseshoe bat, skylark, and black oil beetle being some of the others.

Mendip Activity Centre contributes to funding for one of the ecologists of Mendip Hills, Nathan Orr.

Besides assisting in nature recovery at Mendip's site in North Somerset, Mr Orr’s expertise supports Mendip's outdoor coaches with valuable knowledge.

Consequently, they share this information during outdoor education and adventure sessions.

David Eddins, MD at Mendip Activity Centre, said: "Education is one of the best ways to support nature recovery and we are delighted to be doing our part.

"As specialists in outdoor education delivery, working with Nathan has allowed us to develop our team's awareness of environmental issues and how a positive approach to nature recovery can support this."

Situated in North Somerset near Bristol, Mendip Activity Centre is the largest outdoor education and activity centre in the south-west on a 250-acre site in the Mendip Hills National Landscape.

Popular with schools, families, and individuals, it offers over 20 outdoor activities and training, along with an award-winning campsite, Mendip Basecamp, available in the summer.