Although located in a Site of Special Scientific Interest, this area of rare heathland is overgrown and threatened by encroaching woodland. Failure to act to conserve and manage the heathland will be detrimental to numerous endemic birds and invertebrates. As the southernmost point in the UK, this area is ideally suited for monitoring the activities of migrant species and detecting climate change impacts at the earliest opportunity, yet no such research facility currently exists on the Lizard.

We will develop best practice methods for the restoration of Cornish heathland in partnership with Natural England, the National Trust and other conservation bodies in Cornwall. We will conduct baseline surveys to monitor species presence and abundance so we can better understand how restoration affects those species. We will also use this information to monitor how climate change may be affecting the area and establish a dedicated research facility for climate change monitoring.