About us Partners Partners South West Water South West Invasive Species Forum Cornwall Invasive Species Forum Red Squirrel South West and Cornwall Squirrel Project South West Peatland Partnership Forest for Cornwall Go Stargazing Wildling Some of our key delivery partners Healthy lakes, landscapes and lives Our partnerships with organisations throughout the South West are an important factor in the work we achieve and the projects we deliver. Together, we are working on valuable initiatives; for example, in partnership with Dartmoor National Park Authority, the Moor than meets the eye Landscape Partnership project has enabled us to vastly improve the access around Fernworthy Reservoir – in particular, the surface and accessibility of the much loved Potters Walk – a scenic wheelchair and buggy accessible route. The Discover Wistlandpound Project (DWP), a joint project between South West Lakes Trust, The Calvert Trust Exmoor (now Calvert Devon) and Forestry England, funded two wheelchair and pushchair accessible paths. Enabling people of all abilities to engage with the outdoors, this is a fantastic example of three organisations collaborating for the benefit of the environment and public. South West Water South West Lakes Trust is working in partnership with South West Water to deliver a series of targeted environmental improvements across key sites in the region. These projects focus on enhancing biodiversity, restoring priority habitats, and improving water quality at source. Through collaborative, landscape‑scale action, we are helping to create healthier ecosystems that benefit wildlife, local communities, and the resilience of drinking‑water catchments. Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) Across South West Water's SSSIs, South West Lakes Trust is carrying out specialist conservation work to protect areas recognised for their national ecological importance. Activities include managing invasive species, improving site condition, and safeguarding the species and habitats for which these sites are designated. These interventions not only protect the ecological value of these designated areas but also help to naturally filter and improve the quality of water entering surrounding reservoirs and rivers. Biodiversity Performance Commitment As part of South West Water’s Biodiversity Performance Commitment, South West Lakes Trust is delivering targeted biodiversity enhancements across priority sites. Nine sites have been nominated so far for interventions and ongoing maintenance from 2025-30, with further sites expected to be identified for 2030-35 as the programme develops. Across these sites, a wide range of habitat‑improvement works is underway to boost biodiversity and strengthen ecological resilience. Key interventions include woodland management, invasive‑species control, and extensive tree and hedgerow planting, all aimed at improving long‑term habitat condition and supporting thriving species communities. Dartmoor On Dartmoor, South West Lakes Trust is working across the Burrator and Venford catchments to enhance moorland, woodland, and freshwater habitats. Interventions include peatland restoration, woodland improvements, and creating conditions that support species such as bats, pollinators, and ground‑nesting birds. Tackling invasive Species We are working in partnership with a number of organisations to help protect our lakes from the impacts of invasive non-native species. Click here to read more about invasive non-native species and biosecurity at the lakes. Invasive non-native species cause detrimental impacts to the environment, can have an impact on activities and some even have human health implications. Our team work with anglers and visitors to the lakes to encourage everyone to work together to prevent invasive non-native species causing damage to the lakes, and in turn helping to protect the activities we enjoy. Have you heard of the Check, Clean, Dry campaign? One of the aims of the project is to encourage everyone to carry out simple biosecurity measures before and after using the lakes. Help us protect the lakes and the activities we enjoy by following some simple steps to keep your kit, footwear and clothing free of invasive plants and animals. Whenever you leave the lakes, remember to Check, Clean, Dry. Check your equipment, boat and clothing after leaving the water for mud, aquatic animals or plant material. Remove anything you find and leave it at the site. Clean everything thoroughly as soon as you can, paying attention to areas that are damp and hard to access. Use hot water if possible. Dry everything for as long as possible (ideally 48hrs) before using elsewhere as some invasive plants and animals can survive for two weeks in damp conditions. We are delighted to be part of the AQUA biosecurity accreditation scheme. The AQUA (Aquatic Quality Award) biosecurity accreditation scheme is a campaign led by Bristol Zoological Society in partnership with South West Water and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). Find out more about the scheme. South West Invasive Species Forum Kate Hills (South West Water) set up the South West Invasive Species Forum in June 2016. This forum has been co-chaired with Nicola Morris (South West Lakes Trust) since 2017. The aim of the forum is to promote awareness of terrestrial, freshwater, marine invasive non-native Species (INNS) to encourage the identification and reporting of INNS. It also increases awareness of the impacts INNS can have, and encourages the uptake of good biosecurity measures to prevent the introduction of new or spread of existing INNS to a site, catchment or the region. The forum encompasses the South West Regional Invasives Management Plan area and provides a brilliant networking opportunity and encourages stakeholders to work together to tackle INNS. Cornwall Invasive Species Forum The Cornwall Invasive Species Forum, hosted by South West Lakes Trust and kindly funded by CINNG (Community Invasive Non-native (Species) Group), brings together environmental charities and trusts, local authorities, statutory agencies, water companies, land managers, wildlife groups, volunteer networks, academic and research organisations to tackle the growing challenge of invasive non‑native species across the county. By sharing knowledge and supporting coordinated action the Forum plays a vital role in safeguarding Cornwall’s unique habitats, wildlife, and waterways. This collaborative approach ensures that expertise, resources, and local knowledge are shared and have the most impact. Read more Red Squirrel South West and Cornwall Squirrel Project Red Squirrel South West (RSSW) and its Cornwall Squirrel Project are working with South West Lakes Trust to tackle the impact of invasive, non-native grey squirrels on the South West’s woodlands and wildlife. South West Lakes Trust are leading the way as a large, public-facing organisation that is open and transparent about the need for grey squirrel control, helping to shape public understanding of why managing this species is vital for biodiversity and healthy forests. Through this partnership, RSSW contributes specialist knowledge in monitoring, community engagement and practical conservation, supporting a coordinated, landscape-scale approach to grey squirrel control. Together, we aim not only to reduce damage in priority woodlands, but also to set a positive example for other organisations across the South West to follow, while creating the long-term conditions needed for the return of red squirrels to the South West Peninsula and the protection of our natural heritage for future generations. Other partnerships South West Peatland Partnership The South West Peatland Partnership (SWPP) is a collaboration between businesses, government agencies, charities, volunteers, landowners, farmers and other organisations, working to restore dried and degraded peatland across West Penwith, Bodmin Moor, Dartmoor and Exmoor. Peatlands are Earth's largest land-store of carbon, and the SWPP is working to reduce the amount of carbon lost from the eroding peatlands into our waterways and atmosphere. Healthy peatlands support wildlife, store carbon, improve water quality and quantity, preserve our archaeology and historic environment, and champion livelihoods. With 80% England's peatlands dried and degraded, and the South West's peatlands particularly shaped by past industrial activity, draining, peat cutting and mining, the SWPP is working with urgency to get these areas as healthy, hydrologically functioning, and resilient to the changing climate as possible. South West Lakes Trust works as a key partner, supporting works on peatlands near lakes across the moors, such as recent works at Crowdy Marsh on Bodmin Moor, near Crowdy Reservoir, and areas of dried peatland near Burrator on Dartmoor. Forest for Cornwall The Forest for Cornwall Partnership is a group of 20 like-minded local and national organisations that are working together to ensure optimal tree canopy increase in Cornwall. It is a sub-group of the Local Nature Partnership which enables cross-working in all sectors that seek to improve and restore the natural environment in the region. South West Lakes Trust's Head of Environment, Nicola Morris, is Vice-Chair of the Partnership. Go Stargazing Our Wimbleball team have been working with Go Stargazing by taking part in a number of their training sessions on astronomy, in order to enhance our future Dark Sky events. This forms part of our work with Exmoor National Park's Dark Sky Friendly Business Accreditation scheme. Go Stargazing is a close-knit group of astronomers who aim to generate wide public interest in astronomy by publicising great stargazing locations and events. Find out more on their website. Wildling We're proud to partner with Wildling to help more people find, discover and visit nature on their doorstep, connecting everyone to the great outdoors. Wildling is a beautifully simple, free app that helps you find and connect with nearby nature. The app is available to download on iPhone and Android. Some of our key delivery partners South West Water Wheal Martyn Trust Dartmoor National Park Authority Exmoor National Park Authority Calvert Devon Christchurch Harbour Ornithological Group Cornwall Sports Partnership Cornwall Wildlife Trust Devon Wildlife Trust Environment Agency Forestry Commission Natural England Somerset Activity and Sports Partnership Westcountry Rivers Trust Manage Cookie Preferences