HEATH

When people think of Cornwall, images of coastal cliffs, sandy beaches and historic landscapes often come to mind. The breadth and diversity of landscapes draw thousands of visitors every year, but few ever realise they are often walking on a living historical artefact.

Quite unlike any other resource, heathlands provide a direct and continuous link to the history of Cornwall. Formed and shaped by early Bronze and Iron Age farmers, heathlands were a crucial component in the survival of these early communities. As forests were cleared for grazing, the heathland emerged and came to dominate through the landscape management of those farming communities.

During the middle part of last century, farming methods began to alter as farmers were encouraged to turn to improved fields for grazing. This saw vast areas of heathland converted into pasture grassland with much of the remaining heathland abandoned as a grazing resource.

More than 90 per cent has been lost to modern farming techniques

The result was a loss of more than 90 per cent of Cornwall’s heathlands and a fragmentation of the remaining areas. Plants and animals unique and dependant upon heathlands also declined as their habitat was drastically reduced. Heathlands are now regarded as one of the rarest and most fragile environments in Europe today.

The HEATH Project (Heathland; Environment, Agriculture, Tourism and Heritage) is a new initiative in West Cornwall that aims to reintroduce heathland management and grazing practices.

The Project covers approximately 55 sites spread over 3,500 hectares in West Penwith, The Lizard and St Agnes. It incorporates private land, commons, National Trust and English Nature land.

The HEATH Project provides the necessary infrastructure to maximise this new stewardship scheme.