To the north of the river bank northwest of Langport are the Aller and Beer Woods and Aller Hill biological Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Aller and Beer Woods is a Somerset Wildlife Trust reserve. It consists of large blocks of semi-natural ancient woodland along the west-facing slope of Aller Hill, overlooking King's Sedgemoor. The reserve is about and the underlying geology of most of it is Lias limestone. Prior to the 20th century it appears to have been managed for centuries as traditional coppice woodland, and it provides an outstanding example of ancient escarpment woodland. The woodland is a variant of the calcareous ash/wych elm stand-type, with pedunculate oak (Quercus robur), and ash (Fraxinus excelsior) the dominant canopy trees throughout, and with scattered concentrations of wych elm (Ulmus glabra). Ancient woodland indicators include small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata), and wild service tree (Sorbus torminalis), both of which are locally common. Plants of particular interest include bird's nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis), greater butterfly orchid (Platanthera chlorantha) and the very rare Red Data Book species purple gromwell (Lithospermum purpurocaeruleum). Aller Hill contains three species of plant which are nationally rare and a further three which are of restricted distribution in Somerset. The central area contains a sward dominated by sheep's fescue (Festuca ovina) in combination with yellow oat-grass (Trisetum flavescens) and quaking-grass (Briza media). Salad burnet (Sanguisorba minor) forms a major component of the sward with the two nationally rare species rough marsh-mallow (Malva setigera) and nit-grass (Gastridium ventricosum), also present.
To the north of the river bank northwest of Langport are the Aller and Beer Woods and Aller Hill biological Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) Aller and Beer Woods is a Somerset Wildlife Trust reserve It consists of large blocks of semi-natural ancient woodland along the west-facing slope of Aller Hill overlooking King's Sedgemoor The reserve is about and the underlying geology of most of it is Lias limestone Prior to the 20th century it appears to have been managed for centuries as traditional coppice woodland and it provides an outstanding example of ancient escarpment woodland The woodland is a variant of the calcareous ash/wych elm stand-type with pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) and ash (Fraxinus excelsior) the dominant canopy trees throughout and with scattered concentrations of wych elm (Ulmus glabra) Ancient woodland indicators include small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata) and wild service tree (Sorbus torminalis) both of which are locally common Plants of particular interest include bird's nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) greater butterfly orchid (Platanthera chlorantha) and the very rare Red Data Book species purple gromwell (Lithospermum purpurocaeruleum) Aller Hill contains three species of plant which are nationally rare and a further three which are of restricted distribution in Somerset The central area contains a sward dominated by sheep's fescue (Festuca ovina) in combination with yellow oat-grass (Trisetum flavescens) and quaking-grass (Briza media) Salad burnet (Sanguisorba minor) forms a major component of the sward with the two nationally rare species rough marsh-mallow (Malva setigera) and nit-grass (Gastridium ventricosum) also present