Young Rangers – Now Recruiting!

Every two years the Mendip Hills National Landscape Team looks for 15 nature-loving young people who want to take part in adventures across the Mendip Hills. As one of the Young Rangers they will get a taste for what it’s like to look after the Mendip Hills National Landscape, one of the country’s most special places.

The Young Rangers will work together on a variety of activities each month. The current cohort has taken part in nature documentary making, first aid training, navigation skills, drystone walling, building dormouse boxes, practical conservation tasks and more!

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The Mendip Hills National Landscape Young Rangers Programme has been running since 2005. It is a two year programme with an intake of 15 young people from the local community. They meet once a month to work together on a variety of activities. The Young Ranger scheme gives children a mix of confidence, connection, and purpose. By taking part in real conservation work, they build teamwork, leadership, and communication skills while discovering a deeper relationship with nature. The outdoor, hands‑on activities they do with us support mental and physical wellbeing, offering a positive space away from academic pressures. Young Rangers gain practical experience that helps with future education and career pathways, but just as importantly, they find new friends through working together to protect their local environment.

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The scheme aims to equip young people from local schools and the community to be the future guardians of this special and unique area. It provides them with the confidence, knowledge and skills to be able to promote and protect the special qualities of the National Landscape. We will provide them with life skills that are transferable to the real world and will enhance their future prospects. Finally, we want the programme to be a life changing experience for them, providing a safe and fun experience that develops them as people.

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What do we want them to understand?

· What special qualities the National Landscape is designated for
· What role the Mendip Hills National Landscape Team plays
· The techniques and skills used to preserve and protect these features
· The value of the National Landscape for people, wildlife and heritage
· The human story of the National Landscape – past and present
· What makes a career in conservation?
· How to use the skills they have gained to enhance their future development

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What do our Young Rangers get up to?

The young people take part in a wide variety of activities during their time with us. They will learn practical skills like navigation, first aid and dry stone walling.

We teach them about wildlife conservation and they take part in tasks such as wildlife surveying, building bird boxes or dormouse boxes, habitat creation for some of our champion species and nature awareness with our Nature Recovery Ranger, Nathan Orr. They went coppicing and tree planting with our friends at the Westbury Tree Nursery and they have built hibernacula to help protect the adder population on the Mendip Hills.

They learn about communicating the value of nature to a wider audience, taking part in documentary making, art workshops and poetry writing. We set them tasks such as find new ways to encourage the public to pick up after their dogs and they surprised us with the variety of ideas we had back from them.

And there is a summer camp and outdoor activities such as hiking, caving or climbing where they get to fully experience the landscape of the Mendip Hills. We also arrange trips further afield such as to the Quantock Hills National Landscape or Cotswolds National Landscape.

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John Muir Award

The John Muir Award is an environmental award focused on wild places. It helps people connect with, enjoy, and care for wild places. It’s non-competitive, inclusive and accessible.

The Young Rangers work towards completing their John Muir Award throughout their two years by completing tasks which demonstrate they have, discovered, explored, conserved places on the Mendip Hills National Landscape and then sharing them with others. More information about the award can be found here: Engagement Initiative | John Muir Award

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Andy Chamberlain, our Ranger Volunteer Coordinator, leads the Young Rangers for the duration of their two years with us. He has worked in the outdoor activity industry for over twenty years prior to joining the Mendip Hills National Landscape Team. He has lead expeditions with young people all over the country, as well as instructing in caving, climbing and environmental education for all ages.

Andy grew up locally and has spent many years exploring Mendip, both over and underground. His vast knowledge of this incredible area surely cannot be beaten!

We also have fantastic volunteers who help us run the sessions, providing support for Andy.

 

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Who can apply?

We are looking for children starting year 7 or 8 in September 2026, or equivalent for home schooled children.

How can my child apply?

To apply to join the Young Rangers, spend some time with your child thinking about the reasons why, and what they want to get out of it. We have written the application form to give them a chance to show us these things, but they could always add to it using their creativity; it could be photography, video or whatever medium they choose.

Please download the form and return it to us by the deadline of 19th June 2026. Please do get in touch if you have any questions about the form or the application process.

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Still have questions?

We held an an information evening in April, but if you missed it, please message us and we can send you a copy of the presentation. Andy will be happy to answer any specific questions you have so please get in touch on mendip@mendiphills-nl.org.uk.