A spring update from our local groups

We are proud to collaborate with many community groups doing amazing work for nature recovery in Cornwall. Here is a snapshot of some recent achievements across our network of local groups...

Friends of Tregoniggie Woodland

Established in December 2013, Friends of Tregoniggie Woodland have worked to improve the condition of the seven hectare public open space in Falmouth, helping to transform it into a valued community space and focus for community events.

Two women dig up a plant at Tregoniggie Woodland

One man stands in a high visibility waistcoat and watches another man digging a path

A group of people building a hedge at Tregoniggie Woodland

Wildlife Groundswell

Wildlife Groundswell hold annual wildlife conferences and run events throughout the year, including a project helping people to connect more with nature. They are also testing their streams and river catchment with the Westcountry Rivers Trust Citizen Science Investigation and Riverfly recording schemes.

St Agnes Marine Conservation Group

The St Agnes Marine Conservation Group is a local community conservation group aiming to protect and conserve the marine and coastal environment. They raise awareness of issues, share knowledge through a range of engaging events and undertake research and campaigns to better understand and protect our precious marine ecosystem. In 2023 they ran the Porthtowan Ocean Film Festival, programming an incredible array of local films that showcased the wide range of ways that people love and connect with our seas.

A group of people watch for wildlife on the cliffs at St Agnes

Friends of Par Beach

Friends of Par Beach have coordinated the installation of a Time and Tide Bell with its Interpretation Board to raise awareness and discussion around global warming and rising tides. They’ve also introduced interpretation boards and rubbing posts (supported, respectively, by a Coop Community Fund grant and by funding from Magic Little Grants) to form a Nature Trail to educate and inform on the natural environment.

Butterfly Conservation Cornwall Branch

Through their Mining for Butterlifies project, Butterfly Conservation Cornwall Branch have developed a conservation plan for Cornish Mine Sites in the Carnon Valley and Camborne-Redruth Mining Districts, based on a report by Dr Marcus Rhodes which outlines and prioritises conservation work to improve habitats and connectivity for target species in these areas. Whilst the group seek funding to complete the work, volunteers are already making progress at West Basset Stamps and from January will be working at Poldice.

Marsh Fritillary Butterfly, Image by Amy Lewis

A group of people taking part in a Seaquest Survey at St Michael's Mount

Mounts Bay Marine Group

Mounts Bay Marine Group, established in 2019, is a community group associated to the Cornwall Wildlife Trust, whose aim is to protect and conserve the local marine environment. The Group encourages awareness of the challenges and threats to marine life in the bay, helping Mounts Bay to be a rich and vibrant place for wildlife and people. Katie Maggs, Chair of Mounts Bay Marine Group, won the BBC Make a Difference Green Award 2024, awarded to an individual or group of people who help to make where they live more environmentally friendly and better for nature.

Cornwall Bat Group

Cornwall Bat Group promotes the National Bat Monitoring Programme, run by the Bat Conservation Trust. It uses exit counts of bats from summer nursery roosts, counts from winter hibernation sites and field survey transect results with bat detectors to monitor changes in bat populations.