The Mid Cornwall Moors is today (Wednesday 27 May) declared the 14th site in the King’s Series of National Nature Reserves (NNRs), bringing together over 1,100 hectares of moorland, more than doubling the area of land managed for nature in this historic landscape.
Forming a patchwork of semi-natural habitats, including heath, moorland, mire, and woodland, the Mid Cornwall Moors, creates a network across Cornwall’s distinctive ‘clay country’. Located in the heartlands of central Cornwall, with St Austell to the south, Bodmin to the east, and St Columb Major to the north, the area serves a community living in one of Cornwall’s most rurally deprived regions. The declaration aims to improve access to nature, create opportunities for learning and recreation, and help support the local economy through sustainable farming.
The reserve is home to rare habitats and species including wet ‘willow carr’ woodland, with the rare willow tit, and raised bogs with sphagnum moss, lesser butterfly orchid, royal fern and the carnivorous round-leaved sundew. Cornish moneywort, which is unique to Cornwall’s tin streaming landscape, also thrives.
This declaration celebrates places that have shaped Cornwall’s history, spanning prehistoric tin streaming, Iron Age hillforts and ancient woodland. Iconic sites including Helman Tor, the Iron Age hillfort of Castle an Dinas, and Goss Moor, known locally as King Arthur’s favourite hunting ground, all form part of this nationally significant landscape.
The reserve combines land managed for nature and heritage by Natural England, Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Cornwall Heritage Trust, the Gaia Trust and Imerys. It also includes land designated as the Mid Cornwall Moors Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), which is land of exceptional ecological importance.
Tony Juniper CBE, Chair of Natural England, said
The declaration of the Mid Cornwall Moors as a National Nature Reserve is a powerful recognition of the landscape’s extraordinary natural and cultural heritage.
By bringing these landscapes together under one reserve, we are not only helping to restore precious habitats but also creating more opportunities for people to connect with nature, history and the unique character of this part of Cornwall for generations to come.
Nature Minister Mary Creagh said
The Mid Cornwall Moors is a truly special landscape, shaped by thousands of years of history and home to some of England’s rarest wildlife.
Combining this rich patchwork of habitats as a National Nature Reserve will protect this unique place and provide better access to nature for the people who live alongside it and a boost to everyone who visits.
Reversing the decline in nature and moving toward ecological recovery requires bigger, better and more joined up areas for nature to thrive. With the support of His Majesty King Charles III, Natural England is leaving a lasting public legacy for people, science and nature by creating or extending 25 National Nature Reserves by 2028. The Mid Cornwall is the 14th NNR in the Series. Around 1.4 million people live within 5km of a King’s Series NNR.
Additional quotes
Matt Walpole, CEO of Cornwall Wildlife Trust said
The new Mid Cornwall Moors National Nature Reserve reflects the importance of long-term collaboration in creating bigger, better and more connected spaces for nature recovery.
The inclusion of Helman Tor within the National Nature Reserve recognises decades of work to restore habitats and support wildlife recovery within this special landscape.
We are already seeing the benefits of working with natural processes through conservation grazing with Longhorn cattle and Tamworth pigs, alongside pioneering wild beaver reintroductions. Helping to create more diverse and resilient habitats for wildlife to thrive and for people to enjoy.
Cathy Woolcock, CEO of Cornwall Heritage Trust said
The Mid Cornwall Moors National Nature Reserve (NNR) brings together a number of important land areas and celebrates both nature and the incredible time-depth of human history, ranging from hunter-gatherers in the Mesolithic through to miners and farmers in more recent centuries.
We are pleased that Castle an Dinas is to be included within the expanded NNR, especially given its direct links to the Goss Moor and the wider landscape in Mid Cornwall.
We look forward to collaborating with partners involved with the NNR to better connect Cornish residents and visitors to these most important places in Cornwall’s national story.
Mark Hewson, who leads Imerys in the UK said
Nature restoration is central to modern mining and is built into the design and management of every pit.
Local community involvement has been an essential element of this, and the clear message is that increased access for walkers, cyclists and horse riders is the number one priority.
We are very proud to be working with our partners, creating this legacy for people and nature in the heart of Cornwall.
Matt Edworthy, Director of the Gaia Trust said
It is fantastic for Chark Moor to be included in this new National Nature Reserve along with the other wonderful sites. All are havens for wildlife including locally and nationally rare species and require ongoing management, including careful conservation grazing by cattle and ponies.
Sustainable management supports local graziers and businesses, and provides learning and skills development opportunities for local people.
