Red Moor (nature reserve) facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
The ponds to the north of Red Moor SSSI, created from old tin mining pits
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| Area of Search | Cornwall |
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| Coordinates | 50°25′10″N 4°42′54″W / 50.4194°N 4.7151°W |
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 89.1 hectares (0.8910 km2; 0.3440 sq mi) |
| Notification | 1979 |
Red Moor is a special place in Cornwall, England. It's a nature reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This means it's protected because of its amazing plants and animals. You can find Red Moor near the village of Lanlivery.
Contents
Where is Red Moor?
Red Moor is a large area, about 89 hectares (that's like 220 football fields!). It became a protected SSSI in 1979. Most of this special area is in a place called Lanlivery parish. It's about 2 miles (3.2 km) northwest of the town of Lostwithiel.
There's also a small village called Redmoor right next to the reserve. The Cornwall Wildlife Trust owns and looks after this nature reserve.
The History of Red Moor
Long ago, in the Middle Ages, people found tin in the gravels of the river here. This river flows out of the north side of Red Moor. People mined for loose tin in this area until the late 1800s. The metal turned a reddish color when it mixed with oxygen. This is probably how Red Moor got its name!
This SSSI used to be part of a bigger protected area called Red Moor–Breney Common SSSI. In 1986, the two areas were separated and made larger. Red Moor is also very close to another nature reserve called Helman Tor.
Amazing Plants and Animals at Red Moor
Red Moor has two main types of habitats. In the north, you'll find dry dwarf-shrub heath. This is an open area with small, woody plants. In the lower, southern part, it's much wetter. Here you'll find marshy grassland, wet heath, and bog-land.
Bog Plants
The bog areas are home to many different types of Sphagnum peat mosses. These mosses release their tiny spores from June to August. You can also spot other interesting plants like bog asphodel, cottongrass, and marsh cinquefoil. Two other special plants found here are the climbing corydalis and the royal fern.
Insects and Spiders
Red Moor is a fantastic place for insects! You can find 13 different kinds of dragonflies and damselflies here. One of them is the scarce blue-tailed damselfly, which is very rare in the UK.
There are also many aquatic beetles living in the water. One very rare beetle found here is called Hydrochus nitidicollis. Plus, two uncommon types of spiders make their homes on the moor.
Birds of Red Moor
Many different birds have been seen at Red Moor. Some of the birds you might spot include the willow tit, tree pipit, and the European nightjar. You might even see a Eurasian sparrowhawk hunting overhead!
