Client: Cornwall National Landscapes & Cornwall Council

Date: August 2024 – April 2025

The Challenge

Cornwall National Landscapes and Cornwall Council sought a comprehensive ecological survey of East Moor and Blisland Common. The goal was to assess existing habitats and their condition, evaluate the impact of differing land management regimes, and inform discussions on positive grazing management and ecological enhancements.

A key challenge was ensuring stakeholder engagement—particularly securing the buy-in of local landowners and commoners—to develop a practical, widely accepted management plan. Additionally, the project had strict budget constraints that made delivering the full scope of technical requirements, such as UK Habitat surveys and full habitat condition assessments, unfeasible.

The Solution

Land & Heritage proposed a revised methodology that met the project’s core objectives while staying within budget. Our approach combined expert-led desk studies, targeted field surveys, and stakeholder engagement to provide a meaningful assessment of the sites.

Key elements of our approach included:

• Adapted survey methods – A flexible, practical habitat assessment incorporating large land parcels tailored to stakeholder needs, ensuring results were relevant and actionable.

• Local expertise – Our team’s extensive experience with Bodmin Moor, including prior projects and existing relationships with key stakeholders, allowed for a more nuanced understanding of the landscape.

• Stakeholder engagement – One overall large stakeholder engagement meeting in person, small selective meetings with key stakeholders supplemented by online engagement, to ensure input from landowners and regulatory consultees.

• Comparative analysis – A structured approach to analysing differences across the two sites, helping to inform future land management decisions.

The Result

• Comprehensive habitat reports – Two detailed site reports were produced, outlining habitat conditions, ecological indicators, and management recommendations. One summary report of the comparative ecological findings between the two moorlands. A summary leaflet highlighting key comparisons from the three reports, featuring visual aids such as graphs, images, and habitat maps for clear and effective communication. Each report also included tailored language to ensure all stakeholders fully understood the surveys and their outcomes.

• Stakeholder collaboration – Commoners and landowners were actively involved both from the in-person meetings and working online through Cornwall Council, fostering a sense of ownership over the proposed management strategies.

• Strategic insights for future management – Our comparative analysis provided clear guidance on the effects of grazing practices and identified opportunities for biodiversity enhancements while recognising the positive role of grazing in conservation, ensuring that conservation and traditional land practices can coexist on-site.

• Efficient, cost-effective delivery – By tailoring the methodology to fit the budget while maintaining scientific rigor, Land & Heritage ensured a successful project outcome without compromising quality.

You can access the full reports and leaflet, and learn more about the project on the Cornwall National Landscape website here. Ecological Surveys (Bodmin Moor Hill Farming Project) – Cornwall National Landscape

Looking ahead

The findings from these surveys will inform future land management policies on Bodmin Moor, supporting both conservation efforts and sustainable agricultural practices.

We are already in discussions to resurvey some of the areas in the summer of 2025 within the botanical flowering season, to better inform the management plans.

Let’s talk

If you’re facing similar challenges in ecological assessment, stakeholder engagement, or sustainable land management, get in touch. We can help you develop tailored solutions that balance compliance, conservation, and practical implementation.

Reach out to discuss your project needs today.