‘It’s the unseen pollution’: how getting farmers, fishers and beavers together could save a Cornish river
A community-led initiative in Cornwall is using citizen science to monitor and protect fragile marine habitats in the River Fal from algal blooms. Volunteers are documenting the health of ancient maerl beds and seagrass, which are threatened by agricultural and sewage runoff.
Why it matters
The project highlights the intersection of local environmental conservation and the impact of industrial agricultural practices on biodiversity.
A local initiative is testing simple ways to stop algal blooms in the River Fal threatening some of England’s most biodiverse marine habitats
About this content Tue 25 Aug 2026 04.17 EDT Last modified on Tue 25 Aug 2026 04.19 EDT Share Prefer the Guardian on Google O n a rocky beach in Cornwall , a group of wetsuit-clad freedivers and snorkellers are wading into the shallows. Below St Mawes Castle, built by Henry VIII to defend Falmouth harbour, they disappear in a swish of florescent pink and green fins.
They are volunteers, trained by the Cornwall Wildlife Trust to use underwater cameras and floating GPS devices to detect changes in marine habitats over time.
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