Council Owned or Managed Land

Bath & North East Somerset Council takes account of the importance of wildlife on land that it owns or manages. Close partnerships are formed with the departments which are directly responsible for land, and these are encouraged to take the interests of wildlife into account when vegetation management is being planned.

As a result, the Highways Department has designated several key road side verges as Roadside Nature Reserves, including verges on which the rare Bath asparagus is found. These verges are left uncut during the flowering season.

The Cemeteries Department is responsible for caring for closed burial grounds which are often rich habitats for badgers, bats as well as insects and plants. The management contracts take into account the wildlife interest when specifying the timing and extent of vegetation management.

Avon Regionally Important Geological or Geomorphological Sites Group

The Avon RIGS group are interested in studying, recording, promoting to the public the importance of the Region's geological heritage. The wider Bath & North East Somerset district is rich in important and interesting geology.
Sites which meet "RIGS" criteria for example might include exposures to important rock features or be rich in fossils or have a connection to an important gelogist are eligible to be designated as RIGS. These sites will be included on the Council Local Plan documents and maps and will be taken in to account in future development plans. .