The Cornwall National Landscape team recently completed Natural Beauty and the Beast, a project funded by a £249,569 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Running from January 2025 to August 2026, it engaged more than 16,000 people through community partnerships, volunteering opportunities and farmer-led activities.

The project celebrated the natural and cultural heritage of Bodmin Moor (Section 12 of Cornwall National Landscape) - bringing together residents of Bodmin, Liskeard and Launceston with the moorland farmers who have stewarded the land for generations. Together they explored the Moor's nature, history and traditions, building a deeper understanding of its environmental and cultural significance and supporting its protection for future generations.

The ‘Natural Beauty’ strand highlighted Bodmin Moor's landscapes, wildlife and historic sites. ‘The Beast’ drew on local myths and legends to inspire curiosity, creativity and storytelling, particularly among younger audiences.

The project put the local community at its centre. It established a partnership organisation and a volunteer community group dedicated to Bodmin Moor, giving structure to continue the work and leave a lasting legacy. A community grant fund, administered by the partnership, empowers local people to decide which community-led projects to support and to play a central role in shaping and sustaining Cornwall's protected landscapes.

Stuart McLeod, Director of England (London & South), The National Lottery Heritage Fund said:

"Landscapes and nature form the bedrock of our culture and heritage, improving wellbeing, sparking curiosity, and protecting and providing for the community's surrounding and inhabiting them. Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, we're proud to support Cornwall National Landscape with this important project, which will reconnect the local communities with rural traditions and celebrate the amazing natural heritage on their doorstep." 

Key project activities

Partner farms and farm action plans. Seven local farmers volunteered their farms as project partners. The team commissioned the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (southwest) to develop a bespoke action plan for each farm to guide land management decisions. The plans identified opportunities for carbon storage, heritage conservation, biodiversity enhancement and sustainable farming, while encouraging stronger relationships between farming communities and local residents. The farmers can now share their learning through their local farm clusters.

Community engagement. Workshops, wildlife and heritage surveys, guided walks, volunteering opportunities and creative activities offered hands-on experiences for people of all ages. Through storytelling, art, song, poetry and cultural traditions inspired by the landscape, participants connected with Bodmin Moor and gained health and wellbeing benefits. As part of the project, the Cornwall National Landscape team recorded oral histories, preserving memories and traditional knowledge for future generations. 

Community grant fund. Twelve community-led projects across Bodmin Moor received funding. They connected people with the area's natural and cultural heritage through archaeology, dark skies, traditional Cornish hedging, mining heritage, sensory storytelling, nature conservation, arts and community-led environmental activities. The grants enabled local groups to develop skills, engage volunteers, increase access to nature and heritage, and create lasting benefits for communities across the Moor.

Natural Beauty and the Beast in figures

• 7 farm action plans created
• 22 cultural heritage assets better understood and more accessible
• 8 natural heritage sites/species better interpreted, understood and more accessible
• 17 heritage assets added to the historic environment record
• 16,132 people engaged through public outreach events
• 1,155 people attended project-led activities
• 183 people from the project target area (Bodmin, Launceston, Liskeard and Bodmin Moor) attended events
• 266 young people attended project-led activities
• 155 attendees from under-represented groups
• 84 farmer/landowner engagements
• 241 attendees received training or skills
• 25 school or youth group engagements
• 32 community groups engaged
• £75,850 in-kind value donated

Legacy

By working together, communities, farmers, volunteers and partner organisations have forged new and stronger connections across the landscape, helping to protect this special place for wildlife, the climate and future generations. The learning and insights from the project will inform future work across the rest of Cornwall National Landscape, providing a framework for community engagement, sustainable land management and heritage preservation.

Find out more on the Cornwall National Landscape website or in the project's YouTube playlist.