Golden Hour at Helman Tor 

My role is mainly outside; I’m often in the field doing habitat monitoring and species surveys, but I also advise landowners how to look after and protect wildlife. No day is the same.  

At Helman Tor, we’ve got this amazing granite outcrop that’s the centrepiece, surrounded by a low-lying area of wetland, heathland and woodland all in a lovely patchwork of habitats. It can feel quite wild here sometimes, especially off the beaten track in the midst of winter. 

Up until the 1960s, the area was extensively mined in a process called tin streaming. The site was really shaped by man, resulting in an undulating landscape of hummocks and hollows which have now created niches for all sorts of wildlife. It’s one of those sites that gives you hope, because you can see what can be achieved when you give nature the opportunity. 

We're adopting rewilding principles across the site. We've already got longhorn cattle and pigs, and we’re hoping to get ponies which all help to manage the site and create structural diversity through their grazing habits. We also have wild beavers living here at Helman Tor and are hoping to release more. Beavers can do such amazing things for wildlife; they create wetlands, and water brings life. 

I love nature, so to have a job where I’m involved in wildlife and nature conservation is a dream come true. Every time I come down here, there’s something new to discover. I grew up in the Cornish countryside and a love for wildlife was nurtured in me from a really young age. 

Because I live close by, Helman Tor is my local escape. I’ve got a memory of coming here with my daughter when she was about five. We were having a picnic when we spotted a dragonfly emerging from one of the ponds together. It's probably one of my favourite memories I have of the site. 

We’ve had so much support from people for this place. Whether its donations or volunteering, the Cornwall Wildlife Trust community love Helman Tor just as much as we do. It’s hard not to fall in love with it. 

Discover the charities and partners we're working with in our latest impact report and find out more about the work of Cornwall Wildlife Trust on their website. Laura wears items from our Autumn/Winter 2025 collection including our Beamwind Winter Coat.