From the peatland headwaters of Goss Moor, through ancient woodlands and productive farmland, to the seagrass meadows and maerl beds of the Fal Estuary, the Fal Catchment is one of Cornwall's most important natural landscapes.

Yet the health of the catchment depends on the health of its connections. Water, wildlife, people and places are intrinsically linked, but too often managed in isolation. As a result, restoration efforts can become fragmented, limiting their long-term impact.

Fal Rivers to Reef (FR2R) aims to change this by creating a shared vision for recovery across the entire catchment. Bringing together farmers, communities, businesses, conservation organisations and public bodies, the programme will coordinate action from source to sea, restoring natural processes, supporting sustainable livelihoods and reconnecting people with the landscapes on which they depend.

Through a combination of habitat restoration, species recovery, nature-based solutions, community engagement and environmental stewardship, FR2R will transform the Fal into a thriving, resilient and nature-rich catchment for future generations.

About the Programme

Fal Rivers to Reef aims to support the recovery of the River Fal and its catchment from source to sea and includes a range of sub projects each with their own objectives and impacts.

Fal River to Reef Connected Woodlands: Increasing tree canopy cover across the Fal Catchment to improve water quality, support nature, and enhance farm resilience.
Low Input Landscapes: Supporting the Fal Farm Cluster deliver productive businesses and improve landscape resilience
Urban Blackwater: Reducing boating blackwater discharge pressure on key estuarine and marine habitats in the Fal Estuary
Marine and Estuary Habitat Restoration: Restoring and protecting key marine and estuarine habitats in the Fal Estuary including seagrass meadows and mearl beds
Flowing Landscapes and River Resilience: Restoring the flowscape across the Fal Catchment through creating freshwater habitats, reducing run off and buffering the catchments rivers.
Fal Species Recovery: Creating a beneficial environment for priority species across the Fal.
FR2R Rangers: Increasing local environmental stewardship and skills across the Fal Catchment
FR2R Access: Improving access to the natural heritage in the Fal Catchment
Goss Moor Flood Plain Restoration: Rewetting the Goss Moor National Nature Reserve

Why Invest?

Nature recovery at this scale requires more than individual projects. It requires coordination, shared leadership, strong partnerships, robust evidence and active community participation.

Investment in the Fal Rivers to Reef Programme enables the governance, monitoring, engagement and programme management that connects all delivery projects together and maximises their impact.

By supporting the core programme, funders will help unlock landscape-scale environmental recovery, ensuring that action across land, rivers, estuaries and communities delivers lasting benefits for nature, climate, local livelihoods and future generations.

Invest in Catchment-Scale Change

Fal Rivers to Reef offers a unique opportunity to support one of Cornwall's most ambitious nature recovery programmes.

Your investment will help create the partnerships, knowledge and coordination needed to deliver lasting, measurable impact across the entire Fal Catchment.

Join us in restoring the Fal from source to sea.

Who's involved?

Fal Rivers to Reef is a dedicated partnership led by Cornwall Council with the support of local people, farmers and landowners, fisheries and conservation organisations.

It has been co-developed with over 5,000 hectares of landowner engagement, including The National Trust, Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Westcountry Rivers Trust, local farmers, large landowners, community groups. At sea we have seen extensive collaboration through the Cornwall Marine and Coastal Partnership and via our Fal & Helford SAC Estuary Officer.

Fal Rivers to Reef

Fal Rivers to Reef

£834,209

LINC: Cornwall’s Natural Capital Exchange

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