Young people across Wells, Shepton Mallet, Street and Glastonbury are being invited to apply for the next Mendip Hills Young Rangers programme.

The Mendip Hills National Landscape team is recruiting 15 young people for the two-year scheme, which sees members meet once a month for practical conservation work, outdoor challenges and skills sessions across the Mendips. Applications must be returned by 19 June 2026.

The programme has been running since 2005 and is aimed at helping local young people understand what makes the Mendip Hills such a special landscape and how it is protected.

That means hands-on work as well as adventure.

Young Rangers learn skills including navigation, first aid and dry stone walling. They also take part in wildlife surveying, habitat work, tree planting and practical conservation tasks such as building bird and dormouse boxes.

Recent groups have also tried documentary making, poetry, art workshops and projects aimed at helping them communicate the value of nature to a wider audience. Summer camp and activities such as hiking, caving and climbing also form part of the programme.

Organisers say the scheme is designed to give young people confidence, teamwork and leadership skills while helping them build a stronger connection to the landscape on their doorstep. Participants also work towards the John Muir Award during their time on the programme.

The Mendip Hills National Landscape team says the scheme is intended to help create the future guardians of the area, equipping young people with knowledge and skills they can carry into later life, education and work.

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Families are being encouraged to spend time thinking about why their child wants to apply and what they hope to gain from the experience. Applications can also include creative work such as photography or video.

For families across mid-Somerset, the scheme offers a rare chance for young people to get stuck into real outdoor work, make new friends and explore one of the region's best-known landscapes in depth.

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