A TEMPERATE rain forest within the Luxulyan Valley, near St Austell, has received a helping hand from our river operations team.
As part of Defra’s G7 Legacy Project for Nature Recovery (LPNR), we scoped and delivered habitat restoration work along the Bokiddick stream, which The Saint’s Way Trail borders and a Site of Special Scientific Interest for geological importance flanks the eastern edge.
Henry Marriner, our Ops Team Programme Supervisor said: “Before this work, the path had significantly deteriorated restricting access for people while historic tin streaming had heavily altered and partially disconnected the stream from the surrounding wet woodland.
Before
“The woodland had been overwhelmed with Himalayan balsam with very little diversity on the woodland floor and dense foliage (predominately willow growth) strangling several large oaks and other native trees.
“The site is a very beautiful temperate rain forest, but it needed managing to increase the diversity of flora and to allow light into denser sections of the woodland – it has been great to play a role in bringing it back to life.”
Starting in April 2022 and ending in March 2023, the project’s design prioritised shade management and glade creation.
Leaky dams and ditch blocking is providing natural flood management throughout the wet woodland to hold a greater volume of water, while habitat restoration and creation is supporting a host of wildlife.
After
We worked in partnership with Cornwall Wildlife Trust who supported volunteers via litter picks, Himalayan Balsam pulling, and moving and stacking brash, with some assistance and advice from junior members of WRT.
In addition, we have been assisted by external contractors Happy Habitats and Branch & Root, who helped with the physical delivery of certain aspects of the project such as glade creation, habitat improvements and constructing leaky brash dams.
Cornwall Council oversees repair work to sections of the Saint’s Way Trail, which crosses mid-Cornwall from coast to coast from Padstow to Fowey and has plenty of foot traffic.
A brash dam
Visit cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/g7 to find out more about the wider G7 LPNR activity in Cornwall.