Cornwall’s colourful coastline

Cornwall Wildlife Trust is protecting and celebrating our rich coastline with volunteers like you!

When we think of our Cornish coastline, we picture rugged cliffs, sparkling blue horizons and gentle waves lapping onto never-ending stretches of sand. But what if some of the most beautiful sights could be found beneath the surface, in a world waiting to be discovered?

For example, the solar-powered sea slug whose distinctive chloroplasts on its wings, feet and head make it look like a sky full of glittering stars! Or the sea hare, a snail with ‘rabbit ears’ that takes on the colour of the seaweed it eats! Perhaps the most colourful of all, the rainbow sea slug, was only first spotted in Cornish waters last summer.

This is just some of the lesser-known wildlife thriving on our shores and being cared for by several skilled marine volunteer groups all around Cornwall’s coastline, thanks to Cornwall Wildlife Trust. The charity set up Your Shore Network, a network of eighteen community-led marine conservation groups that run beach cleans, surveys and events. The charity even trains its own beach rangers and young volunteers to take part in citizen science projects. The Shoresearch groups work hard monitoring the shoreline, while the Seasearch groups spend time in the water surveying the seas and their Seaquest groups spot marine mammals out at sea from the coast. These groups collect data that monitors the health of Cornish waters and provides evidence of threats, calling on better protection for our valuable marine life.

All groups cater their work to a unique marine environment and run fun, interactive and educational public events and talks, helping to raise awareness of the issues surrounding our marine life and habitats while campaigning on their behalf. Anyone can get involved in these groups, even complete beginners!

So, if you are passionate about Cornwall’s beautiful marine life and ensuring its future protection, why not join Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s brilliant network of conservation groups? Simply get in touch via the website to be part of protecting your shore.

Cornwall Wildlife Trust
Five Acres, Allet, Truro TR4 9DJ
(Facebook) CornwallWildlife
@cornwallwildlifetrust
(X) CwallWildlife
www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk