Working towards a sustainable Lizard peninsula
The Lizard peninsula is a place apart, where a combination of the mild climate and complex geology has produced an area with a very distinctive character. It includes some habitats and species which are unique to the Lizard and others which are extremely rare. This is reflected in the large National Nature Reserve, Special Area of Conservation and Sites of Special Scientific Interest designations, which cover around 25% of the peninsula. Cornwall Wildlife Trust own two nature reserves on the Lizard; North Predannack Downs Nature Reserve and Windmill Farm Nature Reserve. The Lizard is one of a handful of the most important botanical areas in the UK, with a long history of study.
The characteristic coastal and heath landscape is recognised as being of national importance, as part of the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The peninsula is also extremely significant archaeologically, with some of the earliest farming landscapes in Britain, and has a rich cultural heritage.
The peninsula is home to about 8,000 people (increasing in summer due to visitors), with many locally important attractions in the area which ensure that tourism contributes a significant income to the local economy.
Some of the unique habitats have been lost over the last century through changes to agriculture, development and climate change which threatens to further stretch the ability of the natural world to adapt to change.
Working in Partnership
Rather than landowners and farmers simply managing small sites in isolation from each other, the best prospect for maintaining these special places and resources on which we all depend (such as clean water), is to work together at the landscape scale.
Some of the benefits we aim to work towards are:
Improving the area for wildlife
• Making The Lizard a better place for wildlife by joining up important habitats, to benefit rare plants, birds, insects and mammals that live here.
• Adopting an ecosystems approach - considering landscape, air, soil and water.
• Working with farmers to keep the special habitats in good condition.
• Linking management of the land with the sea.
A landscape to inspire, places to explore, adventures to be had
• Involving local people in the future of their area through finding out more about what people want from the land.
• Working together with businesses to promote The Lizard and the opportunities for varied use by the community and visitors to the outdoors.
• Better footpaths, cycle and horse riding routes around the peninsula.
• Exploring new ways for people to experience the outdoors such as coasteering and kayaking.
• A better sense of the rich history of the area.
Adaptation for a changing climate and a low carbon future
• Making more space for wildlife in bigger, joined up areas, so that species can move and adapt to change.
• Storing carbon in soils and vegetation to help mitigate against further climate change.
• Finding ways to encourage community led responses to a low carbon future.
• Building resilience in the farming system and in the population to adapt to a low carbon future.
