Babcary Meadows facts for kids

Babcary Meadows is a special natural area in Somerset, England. It covers about 13.6 hectares (that's like 33 football fields!). This place is known as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This means it's protected because it has important plants, animals, or geology. Babcary Meadows was officially recognized as an SSSI in 1988.

It's one of the last places in south Somerset with a type of grassland that hasn't been changed much by farming. This makes it a really important home for many different kinds of herbs and wildflowers.

What Makes Babcary Meadows Special?

Babcary Meadows is located north of the River Cary. It sits on flat or gently sloping land, about 30 meters (100 feet) above sea level. The area right next to the river often gets very wet. Here, you can see many clumps of a plant called Soft Rush.

Amazing Plants and Flowers

This special meadow is home to over 200 different kinds of plants! Many of these are quite rare or important in Somerset. For example, 14 of them are called 'notable species'. Six of these notable plants are beautiful orchids.

You might also spot other interesting plants like:

• Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)
• Cuckoo flower (Cardamine pratensis)
• Common Fleabane (Pulicaria dysenterica)

Cuckoo Flower is one of the many wildflowers found at Babcary Meadows.

Wildlife You Might See

Babcary Meadows isn't just for plants! It's also a great home for many animals. You might see:

• Badgers (Meles meles)
• Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus)

It's also thought that Otters (Lutra lutra) use the river that runs through the area. This makes the meadow a vital place for many different creatures to live and thrive.

Protecting Babcary Meadows

The Somerset Wildlife Trust helps look after this amazing place. They bought the land to protect it, with help from the South Somerset Council. This helps make sure that the unique plants and animals of Babcary Meadows will be safe for many years to come.