2026 marks Carymoor Environmental Trust’s 30th anniversary
Carymoor was founded in 1996 by a small group of enthusiasts with a vision: to help people live more sustainably and to restore the connection between people and nature. 30 years on, Carymoor has grown from that spark of enthusiasm into a thriving charity that inspires the Somerset community to reduce waste, enhance nature, and care for the environment.
From landfill to wildlife haven
In 1996 we took on the management of 80 acres of land sitting on top of a newly capped landfill site outside Castle Cary. The plan was bold – to regenerate this brownfield site into a place for nature. Three decades later, the site has become a beautiful nature reserve, alive with woodland, wetland and wildflower meadows. From what was once a blank canvas, we now regularly record 28 species of butterfly, including four priority species. This is the fourth highest number of species of all the butterfly transect sites in Somerset. Deer, rabbits, foxes, and badgers roam across the site. We regularly see barn owls and kestrels who feed on the small mammal population.
Inspiring a Greener Future
Education is at the heart of everything we do. Our experienced education team works with schools, families and adult learners to offer experiences that stay with people long after they leave the site.
Over 3000 young people visit Carymoor every year, many getting their first close-up experience of the natural world. Over 85,000 school children have visited since Carymoor first opened its doors. We see their excitement when they see a newt or a grass snake — those are the moments that plant the seeds of lifelong care for nature. Children visit a working Waste Transfer Station and experience the waste issue first-hand, understanding how small actions can make a big difference.
Our visitors experience sustainability in action through our eco buildings, including a timber-framed visitor centre, strawbale house and hempcrete classroom. Our centre has composting toilets, solar panels and solar hot water. Visiting school children take part in our Waste Free Lunch challenge, helping to reduce waste.
Through our Schools Against Waste project with Somerset Council, we visit primary schools across the county to run interactive assemblies and workshops on the 3Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. These sessions bring issues like food waste and single-use plastics to life, inspiring schools to take action. 65,000 children have taken part since 2018.
Volunteering for wellbeing
Volunteers have always been at Carymoor’s heart. Every year our volunteers give more than 6,500 hours of time to support our nature conservation and education work. Our volunteers improve their physical and mental wellbeing, and find new purpose, friendship and confidence through meaningful outdoor work. Our staff teach traditional countryside skills, such as hedgelaying, scything, coppicing, that are good for both people and wildlife.
We’ve built a strong partnership with Able2Achieve, welcoming learners with learning disabilities each week. They gain horticultural and conservation skills which they go on to use at over 40 community sites around Somerset, a powerful example of how learning at Carymoor spreads benefit far beyond our site.
Looking forward
We don’t just teach sustainability; we live it, every day, through our actions and partnerships. Our work ripples out through schools, community groups and volunteers, creating a legacy of environmental care that reaches across the county.
In our 30th anniversary year, we’re building on this legacy — expanding our education reach, restoring more habitats and strengthening the partnerships that help Somerset become a greener, more connected county. Carymoor is a beacon of positivity in challenging times.
