Mendip Hills AONB Young Rangers get one step closer to their Jim Muir Award

The Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Young Rangers have been continuing their adventures online and at home supported by the AONB Team.

During the summer they each worked on a project to contribute towards their John Muir Award. The project was to focus on one of four topics:

• biodiversity and wildlife;
• eco-living and sustainability;
• recreation and tourism; and
• connecting people with nature.

The projects were also designed to meet the four criteria of the John Muir Award - Discover, Explore, Conserve and Share.

Lauren Holt, who leads the group, said: "We really wanted the Young Rangers to explore wider topic areas that are relevant to the Mendip Hills AONB Unit right now.

"Their passion for the Mendip Hills has really translated through these projects and I'm so impressed with the quality and level of detail.

"Each project is totally unique and I'm very pleased that the Young Rangers are sticking with it even in these current circumstances."

The Young Rangers' Projects have included encouraging wildlife in your garden, pollinators and butterflies, rights of way on the Mendip Hills, nature and mindfulness, a bird survey, a biodiversity and wildlife project, a bee and butterfly garden, a great crested newt factsheet and a climbing in the AONB poster.

The current cohort joined the programme in September 2019. They have gained many core skills, including navigation and outdoor first aid.

The AONB Unit is committed to delivering the remainder of the programme in a Covid-secure way, and is adapting the programme accordingly.

The team will resume face-to-face ranger activities as soon as it is possible to do so. Upon graduation the rangers will possess all the key skills required to be future guardians of the Mendip Hills.