Mid Cornwall Moors SSSI

Overview

Parts of the Mid Cornwall Moors were notified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on 23 February 2017 recognising the national importance of the semi-natural habitats.

You can submit your views via an online survey, by email or post. 

Before you submit your views, we recommend you read more about the notification.  The Notification document can be found in the related documents section.  

Why your views matter

The Mid Cornwall Moors are located at the headwaters of the River Fal and River Par catchments with Goss Moor at their centre.  The larger new SSSI covers over 50% more land than the six SSSIs that previously dotted the landscape of Mid Cornwall either side of the A30 and east of Indian Queens.

The site is a rich and varied mix of heathland, woodland and wildflower meadows which are a vital sanctuary for wildlife, as well as an important asset for local people, visitors and businesses.  The new SSSI includes several closely located patches of land that connect important habitats and will help wildlife to withstand pressures from future climate change.  It forms a stronger refuge and network for rare plants, such as Cornish eyebright, coral-necklace, yellow centaury, pillwort and lesser butterfly orchid, and animals, including the marsh fritillary butterfly, along with very rare mud snails and water beetles only found in this part of the UK.  Fens and mires in the headwaters of the River Fal and River Par catchments also help to provide clean water and have the potential to reduce flood risk to homes and properties located further downstream.

The wet woodlands throughout the area are also important for the willow tit, a bird which has virtually disappeared from large parts of the UK and declined by an estimated 81% since the mid-1990s.  The new areas added to the SSSI include important breeding sites for this special species.

Building on the successes of the Mid Cornwall Moors LIFE project which ended in 2008, Natural England hopes that the notification will be a catalyst for even more effective management in the medium to long term, leading to an overall increase in the quality of habitats and their associated plants and animals. This includes sensitive management of habitats through careful grazing by cattle and maintaining water levels at or around the surface to make sure the habitat is at its healthiest

The outcome Natural England wishes to achieve with this designation is sustainably conserving a wonderful part of Cornwall’s landscape and safeguarding the services it offers for the benefit of both people and the environment.

What happens next

We are now assessing the response to the consultation and will be making a recommendation to the Board of Natural England in due course.  Natural England has to make a decision to either confirm or withdraw this notification by 22 November 2017 or the notification will cease to exist.  

Mid Cornwall Moors Team will widely promote Natural England's decision.