Wildflower Warriors Transform Cornwall’s New Link Road with Vibrant Habitats

The Eden Project’s National Wildflower Centre (NWC), alongside dedicated volunteers known as the Wildflower Warriors, is transforming the landscape of Cornwall’s new St Austell to A30 link road. The project, which involves hand-collecting and sowing wildflower seeds, aims to create a colourful corridor of habitats along nearly four miles of banks and verges.

Construction of the link road is in its final phase, with seed sowing already underway across approximately 45 acres. The resulting wildflower, woodland, and heathland habitats will boost local biodiversity and connect wildlife to the wider landscape.

📷Photographs by Emily Whitfield-Wicks Eden Project NWC. Eden Project, planting wildlife seeds along the verge of the new A30, St.Austell link road. Alun Griffiths Site Office. Eden Project.

Photo Credit: Emily Whitfield-Wicks

A Collaborative Effort

This ambitious project has been a five-year collaboration between the NWC, civil engineering consultancy Griffiths, Cornwall Council, and other stakeholders. Recognising the scarcity of local wildflower seed, the NWC built a network of local farmers, community groups, and environmental experts to gather and grow seeds.

Stephanie Knights, NWC project manager, praised the teamwork involved, saying: “Producing enough seed for such a large area has been a mammoth task, and we’ve seen some great teamwork involving our volunteers from the local community, local landowners, and the partners involved in the building of the road.”

Local ecology consultancy Code 7 Consulting Ltd provided native heather seed and algae propagules to support heathland creation.

📷Photographs by Emily Whitfield-Wicks Eden Project NWC. Eden Project, planting wildlife seeds along the verge of the new A30, St.Austell link road. Alun Griffiths Site Office. Eden Project. 82 year old Rosemary McClenaghan who has been a volunteer for the NWC at Eden for 23 years.

Photo Credit: Emily Whitfield-Wicks

A Blooming Future for Cornwall

The sowing process combines annual and perennial wildflower seeds to ensure the habitats thrive for years to come. Stephanie highlighted the visual impact: “You are going to get lots of vibrant colours of annual wildflowers – yellow, blue, white, red in the first year, and in the second year, the colours will be more subtle as the perennial wildflowers start to establish.”

Key species such as red campion, ox-eye daisy, and devil’s-bit scabious will bring the beauty of Cornish hedgerows and coastal paths to the new route.

Sustainability at the Heart of Development

In addition to enhancing biodiversity, the project integrates five and a half miles of new paths for walking, cycling, and horse riding, offering car-free travel options to residents. Cornwall Council cabinet member for transport, Connor Donnithorne, noted the broader benefits: “This new route will not only take through traffic – in particular heavy goods vehicles – away from clay country communities and the front doors of homes lining the route, but also provide a network of walking and cycle routes to give residents car-free options for how they travel short distances and explore the local area.”

Mike Andrew, Griffiths project manager, added: “Together, we’re not only building structures. We are creating spaces that have a lasting positive impact on the environment and future generations.”

📷Photographs by Emily Whitfield-Wicks Eden Project NWC. Eden Project, planting wildlife seeds along the verge of the new A30, St.Austell link road. Alun Griffiths Site Office. Eden Project.

Photo Credit: Emily Whitfield-Wicks

National Expertise for Local Impact

The NWC’s work on this project reflects its experience in ecological landscaping. It has previously delivered 250 acres of wildflower habitats across the UK, including collaborations with Mersey Gateway Trust and Liverpool City Council. The Cornwall project is poised to deliver long-term biodiversity gains while educating communities about the importance of restoring wildflower habitats, 97% of which have been lost since World War Two.

To learn more about the Eden Project’s National Wildflower Centre, visit www.edenproject.com.

📷Photographs by Emily Whitfield-Wicks Eden Project NWC. Eden Project, planting wildlife seeds along the verge of the new A30, St.Austell link road. Alun Griffiths Site Office. Eden Project.

Photo Credit: Emily Whitfield-Wicks