If you care about Penwith and its unique wildlife, please read on...
Bostraze Bog, between Newbridge and St Just, is one of the most important wetland wildlife sites in west Penwith. We want to buy 58 acres of this site and restore it to a wildlife-rich habitat teeming with rare species. Bartinney Downs is next to the Trust's Caer Bran Nature Reserve, near Sancreed. We want to buy 26 acres of the land and ensure it continues to become a haven for wildlife.
Parts of these sites were improved for agricultural use in the past, but have slowly been reverting to more wildlife-friendly habitats through the support of agri-environmental funding schemes. However, changes in policy bring the very real threat of destruction to wildlife on both sites. The current reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, along with shrinking EU and domestic budgets, mean that marginal sites like these could once again be intensively managed in an attempt to make a financial return from them.
The land at Bostraze Bog and Bartinney Downs has no statutory designation to protect the habitats and species it supports. These include internationally important heathlands and wetlands essential for many species including; skylark, yellowhammer, reed bunting, small pearl-bordered fritillary butterfly, small red damselfly, adder, sundew, cuckoo and otter.
John Gowenlock, Chairman of the Trust's Nature Reserves Committee says "These two sites capture the quintessential essence of west Penwith, from the exposed slopes of Bartinney Downs where your thoughts may be checked by the breathtaking views of the sea, to the sheltered calm of Bostraze Bog, where a darting dragonfly will capture your imagination,"
If we buy these sites we will not only secure the future of the existing habitats, we will continue to improve the sites for wildlife, allowing field drains to block up and ending the use of fertilisers. With your help, we will see an increase at Bostraze Bog of important fen and mire habitats, and at Bartinney Downs, acid grassland and heathland will be fully restored. In addition we will create new access and link them to existing Trust nature reserves in the area, so that local people and visitors alike can enjoy more of this historic and wildlife-rich landscape. You can help us secure the future of these sites and their wildlife forever...
Find out more about the important species you can help to protect...
Barn owl
This stunning bird can still be found in reasonable numbers in west Penwith because of this area's numerous traditional farm buildings, which encourage nesting. This is combined with a network of species rich sites, such as Bostraze Bog and Bartinney Downs, which provide good hunting ground for this iconic and popular nocturnal predator.
Round-leaved sundew
An insectivorous plant found in pristine acid bogs and alongside sphagnum mosses in the wetter parts of Bostraze Bog - where it supplements its low nutrient growing conditions by catching flies with sticky traps on the surface of its leaves - a tiny and beautiful plant with a more sinister side!
Common cottongrass
This is found in good numbers in wetter areas of both sites, with its multiple white plumed heads nodding in the breeze in late spring. Bostraze Bog is also home to the much rarer hare's-tail cottongrass, a sign of quality acid bog, one of the few sites it can still be found in west Cornwall.
"The Wildlife Trusts are about making a difference in your own neighbourhood and to conservation in general. this appeal does exactly that." Simon King OBE, President of The Wildlife Trusts
- We only need to raise £20,000* to buy these spectacular and important sites for nature. If you donate just £20 to this appeal we will receive a further £200 for Cornwall's wildlife, through match-funding.
- A donation of £285 will secure the long term protection of one acre of vital wildlife habitat.
Please help us today by making a donation, it will make a genuine difference to wildlife in west Penwith. Thank you!
Donate via text simply by texting NRAP84 to 70070 followed by £1,£2,£3,£4,£5 or £10
*Donations received above the amount required will be used for nature reserves management.
Printing costs for the leaflets of this appeal have been generously covered by Office Team.
For more information on our Nature Reserves appeal please contact Callum Deveney, Head of Nature Reserves via email or on (01872) 273 939 ext 222
