Sylvia's Meadow
Encyclopedia
Sylvia's Meadow, a Site of Special Scientific Interest
, is a nature reserve
owned and managed by Cornwall Wildlife Trust
. It is a herb rich, 5 hectares (12.4 acre) site situated near Gunnislake
, in East Cornwall
, United Kingdom
.
a US military camp was situated in Sylia's Meadow which housed only white American
armed forces personnel. Black American airmen were billet
ed in an adjacent field. Since then the land has been left unploughed and unimproved. In this respect Sylvia's Meadow is virtually unique to Cornwall.
The meadow was designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest
in 1992.
The reserve is named after a previous owner's daughter.
and Heath Spotted Orchid. Other species found here include: Autumn Ladies'-tresses
, Sneezewort
, Yellow Rattle
and Bird's Foot Trefoil.
Butterflies that may be seen include The Wall, Orange Tip, Dingy Skipper
and the Common Blue
. Reptile sightings include the Common Lizard and the Slow Worm.
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
, is a nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
owned and managed by Cornwall Wildlife Trust
Cornwall Wildlife Trust
The Cornwall Wildlife Trust is a charitable organisation founded in 1962 that is concerned solely with Cornwall, United Kingdom.It deals with the conservation and preservation of Cornwall's wildlife and habitats managing over 50 nature reserves covering approximately , amongst them Looe...
. It is a herb rich, 5 hectares (12.4 acre) site situated near Gunnislake
Gunnislake
Gunnislake is a large village in east Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated in the Tamar Valley approximately ten miles north of Plymouth...
, in East Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
History
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
a US military camp was situated in Sylia's Meadow which housed only white American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
armed forces personnel. Black American airmen were billet
Billet
A billet is a term for living quarters to which a soldier is assigned to sleep. Historically, it referred to a private dwelling that was required to accept the soldier....
ed in an adjacent field. Since then the land has been left unploughed and unimproved. In this respect Sylvia's Meadow is virtually unique to Cornwall.
The meadow was designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
in 1992.
The reserve is named after a previous owner's daughter.
Flora and fauna
Sylvia's Meadow is an example of unimproved herb-rich pasture land containing some rare plant species. It is famed for the orchids that grow there, which include the Lesser Butterfly OrchidPlatanthera bifolia
Platanthera bifolia, commonly known as the Lesser Butterfly-orchid, is a species of orchid in the genus Platanthera, having certain relations with the genus Orchis, where it was previously included and also with the genus Habenaria. It can be found throughout Europe and Morocco...
and Heath Spotted Orchid. Other species found here include: Autumn Ladies'-tresses
Autumn Ladies'-tresses
Spiranthes spiralis, commonly known as Autumn Lady's-tresses, is the latest-blooming native species of orchid, blooming in August and September. It is characterised by a spiral inflorescence produced after the leaves have died down. The inflorescence can be very small especially in short grazed...
, Sneezewort
Sneezewort
Achillea ptarmica is a species in the genus Achillea. It has loose clusters of white, button-like flowers that bloom from June to August...
, Yellow Rattle
Yellow rattle
Yellow Rattle or Cockscomb, Rhinanthus minor, is a flowering plant in the genus Rhinanthus in the family Orobanchaceae, native to Europe and Western Asia....
and Bird's Foot Trefoil.
Butterflies that may be seen include The Wall, Orange Tip, Dingy Skipper
Dingy Skipper
The Dingy Skipper, Erynnis tages, is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It ranges from Europe across Asia Minor and Central Asia to the Amur region.Erynnis tages favours open grassy habitats up to 2,000 metres above sea level...
and the Common Blue
Common Blue
The Common Blue is a small butterfly in the family Lycaenidae, widespread over much of the Palaearctic. Recently, Polyommatus icarus was discovered in Mirabel, Quebec, Canada by Ara Sarafian, an amateur entomologist who observed the butterfly from 2005 to 2008...
. Reptile sightings include the Common Lizard and the Slow Worm.
External links
- Cornwall Wildlife Trust: Sylvia's Meadow
- BBC Cornwall feature on the reserve
- Breathing Places (includes location map of the reserve)