The two administratively independent unitary authorities, which were established on 1 April 1996 following the breakup of the county of Avon, are North Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset.
National nature reserves in England (NNR) are designated under Part III of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 that are deemed to be of national importance by Natural England as key places for wildlife and natural features in England using section 35(1) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
[1] They were established to protect the most significant areas of habitat and of geological formations.
The largest is Bridgwater Bay which has been recognised under the Ramsar Convention and covers 2,639 hectares (6,521 acres) of mud flats, saltmarsh, sandflats and shingle ridges.
The highest is Dunkery and Horner Wood which covers 1,604 hectares (3,964 acres) of wet and dry heathland, ancient woodland and open grassland on Exmoor including Dunkery Beacvon, the highest point in the county.