
Cornwall Coast Landscape
Cornwall Coast
Cornwall’s coastline is magical - dramatic soaring cliffs and secret coves. It’s a working landscape where agriculture and fishing are still important even though tourism now underpins Cornwall’s economy.
Cornwall's coast is renowned nationally as the place to holiday - and justly so. Where else can you find a mix of turquoise seas, purple heaths, sandy beaches, mysterious estuaries, quaint seaside villages and spectacular wildlife?
To keep Cornwall's wildlife special, government, conservation organisations, farmers, schools, local communities and visitors must work together.
We want Cornwall's coast to be a thriving wildlife-rich landscape which provides enjoyment and employment for the people who live, work and play there.
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Futurescapes - Cornwall CoastExplore the area
Find out what’s going on near this Futurescape, including places to visit, news and local events, plus how you can work or volunteer for us.
Nearby reserves
Reserves and other protected areas are a key part of Futurescapes. They provide core areas for nature to thrive and eventually repopulate the surrounding landscapes. The RSPB reserves within this Futurescape are:
Hayle Estuary
In cold winters, as many as 18,000 birds have been seen here. This is because the most south-westerly estuary in the UK never freezes. During spring and autumn, it is an ideal place to see migrant wading birds, gulls and terns.
Marazion Marsh
This reserve overlooks the beautiful St Michael's Mount and boasts Cornwall's largest reedbed. More than 250 bird, 500 plant, 500 insect and 18 mammal species have been recorded here and bitterns are now regular winter visitors (although patience is often required to see them).
Featured projects
We're working to safeguard and improve special places for nature. Each Futurescape contains a range of initiatives in addition to our reserves. The combination of these creates better conditions for wildlife across the countryside.
Cornwall Chough Project
The natural return of wild choughs to Cornwall in 2001 was of great significance for Cornwall. Today, a walk around the spectacular Lizard and Penwith coastline is even more breathtaking because you are now likely to see and hear the elegant Cornish 'chows', back where they belong.
Cirl Bunting Reintroduction
A partnership project between the RSPB, Natural England, the National Trust and Paignton Zoo, with veterinary support from the Zoological Society of London, to help cirl buntings expand their range outside of Devon as recognised in the Government's Biodiversity Action Plan.
Cornwall Corn Bunting Project
Huge declines in Cornwall’s corn bunting population meant that in 2002 there were fewer than 50 singing males left, all confined to a small area of farmland along the north coast between Newquay and Pentire. Immediate action was necessary to protect the remaining birds and promote recovery in the county.
Cornwall Farming and Birds Project
The Cornwall Farming and Birds Project is a partnership between the RSPB and Duchy College. The project aims to help the region’s farmland birds by raising awareness among students and the wider community as to how farming can integrate the needs of farmland wildlife with food production.
Our partners
Futurescapes is all about collaboration. There are many organisations and people involved in managing land on the Cornwall Coast. Our challenge is working together to find ways of making more space for nature. To achieve this we’re working with:
Saving special places
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Curlews in crisis: one year on
For this year’s World Curlew Day, Thursday 21st April 2022, amongst the enjoyment of this beautiful yet gravely threatened bird, comes an update on the ambitious conservation delivery project, Curlews in crisis (Curlew LIFE). The project is app...(re...
Posted 21/04/2022 by Vanessa Amaral-Rogers -
The conservationist's dilemma: an update on the science, policy and practice of the impact of predators on wild birds (8)
As we have written in previous years, the decision to introduce any form of predator control (lethal or non-lethal) is something we never take lightly. It’s always based on evidence and guided by the RSPB’s Council-agreed policy. The RSPB...(read mor...
Posted 20/09/2021 by martinfowlie -
G7 Commentary - Nature compact success or failure?
For the first time the G7 has made a nature-positive commitment to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity by 2030. This is unprecedented. Never before we have seen nature prioritised in a way that recognises the importance of a healthy natural wor...
Posted 14/06/2021 by Vanessa Amaral-Rogers -
A big step for international whale conservation - sei whale Key Biodiversity Area in Falklands
By Michelle Winnard, Communications Officer, Falklands Conservation Sei whale by Caroline Weir, Falklands Conservation In a big step for international whale conservation, the Falkland Islands have been confirmed as a hotspot for a globally end...(re...
Posted 12/05/2021 by Heather Mitchell