Where Nature Meets History: Biodiversity at Devon Great Consols - Nature Connects in the Tamar Valley

In this latest episode of the Tamar Valley National Landscape’s Nature Connects podcast, Lesley Strong, Stakeholder Engagement Officer for the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site joins host Ginnette Sutherland to explore the evolving legacy of Devon Great Consols. This historic mining landscape is at the heart of the Tamar Valley National Landscape and Area A10 of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site.

Once a site of intensive industrial activity, Devon Great Consols now stands as a compelling example of post-industrial regeneration, where heritage values and ecological priorities intersect. The conversation examines how the site’s historic fabric coexists with its role as a refuge for rare species such as the Greater Horseshoe Bat and the Nightjar, illustrating the nuanced challenges of managing heritage landscapes for both conservation and biodiversity.

This episode also reflects on the broader significance of such places in fostering public engagement and connection with outstanding protected landscapes, and why partnership working is so important now and in the future. Through its layered narratives of industrial heritage, ecological recovery, and community involvement, Devon Great Consols offers a powerful model for how mining landscapes can inspire renewed relationships with the natural world and support the conservation and enhancement of internationally important heritage features.

Tune into the podcast - Where Nature Meets History: Biodiversity at Devon Great Consols | Nature Connects