Mid Cornwall Moors Granted National Nature Reserve Status in Major Boost for Wildlife Recovery and Sustainable Land Management

Cornwall has designated its vast, historic moorland as a National Nature Reserve, protecting over 1,100 hectares and taking a major step toward regional nature recovery and conservation.

The newly recognised Mid Cornwall Moors reserve becomes the 14th site in the King’s Series of National Nature Reserves. The designation more than doubles the area that conservationists actively manage for nature in this distinctive part of Cornwall, covering roughly 1,500 football pitches of moorland.

Conservation groups and local organisations describe the move as recognition of the area’s ecological value and deep cultural history. The landscape displays rare wildlife habitats and centuries of heritage shaped by mining and settlement.

The reserve lies between St Austell, Bodmin, and St Columb Major in one of Cornwall’s most economically disadvantaged areas. Supporters believe the designation could improve access to nature, boost education, enhance recreation, attract tourism, and support local farmers, aiding community well-being and resilience.

The Mid Cornwall Moors feature a mosaic of semi-natural habitats, such as wet willow carr for willow tit and raised bogs with sphagnum moss, royal fern, lesser butterfly orchid, and round-leaved sundew.

The landscape also hosts Cornish moneywort, a plant species strongly associated with Cornwall’s historic tin streaming environment and rarely found elsewhere.

Beyond its ecological importance, the reserve includes sites deeply woven into Cornwall’s history. The area holds traces of prehistoric tin streaming, Iron Age hillforts, ancient woodland, and long-standing cultural landmarks that continue to shape the region’s identity.

Notable locations that now form part of the reserve include Helman Tor, the Iron Age stronghold of Castle an Dinas, and Goss Moor—an area that local folklore links to King Arthur and describes as one of his favored hunting grounds.

Management will be coordinated by Natural England, Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Cornwall Heritage Trust, the Gaia Trust, and Imerys. The reserve includes land already designated as a Mid Cornwall Moors Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Tony Juniper CBE, Chair of Natural England, said: “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 nature’s decline requires larger, better-connected areas. With King Charles III’s support, Natural England aims for 25 National Nature Reserves by 2028. The Mid Cornwall Moors is the 14th in the Series; about 1.4 million people live within 5km of a King’s Series NNR.

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 already see benefits from conservation grazing and beaver reintroductions, helping to create resilient habitats for wildlife and people.

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 and 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.”