This year marks the golden anniversary of Cornwall Wildlife Trust, its inaugural meeting having been held at the County Museum in Truro on March 23, 1962.

The vision for its formation came from a dedicated group of volunteers concerned about changes they were seeing in the countryside. One of these was Dr Frank Smith, a GP with a considerable knowledge of wildlife, especially butterflies and moths.

A meticulous diary keeper, Dr Smith had noted his concerns for the Cornish countryside and its wildlife in 1960. He wrote: "Unrestricted reforestation and agricultural reclamation and insidious building development around small communities are obviously depleting wildlife habitats, few of which have any form of protection."

He also noted that because such sites have no financial value and are "widely regarded as self regenerating and therefore expendable", wildlife was politically unimportant.

The fledgling society wasted no time and was soon busy monitoring species, identifying conservation sites, noting issues of concern and recruiting members.

One of its aims was to acquire and manage nature reserves and it leased its first reserve, Hawkes Wood, near Wadebridge, for ten shillings (fifty pence) a year within months of its formation. The owner, Miss Dorothy Sewart, eventually gifted the wood to the trust in 1971. A delightful old oak woodland with two streams and a quarry, it is an exceptional area for woodland birds.

The first reserve to be purchased was Ventongimps Moor, six miles north of Truro. This 20-acre site boasts an exceptionally rich mosaic of wet and dry heath, with areas of bog, ponds and woodland. Such a combination provides a unique series of habitats, once widespread, but now restricted to a few special sites.

Dr Frank Smith had spotted the potential of the area, as a note in the diary for May 31, 1957 shows. He writes: "At a marsh south of Ventongimps, I caught a worn specimen of narrow-bordered bee hawk moth and was delighted to find a flourishing colony of marsh fritillary butterflies."

By 1966 this special area was under threat from intensive agriculture, so Cornwall Wildlife Trust stepped in and bought it.

Today, CWT owns or manages 55 nature reserves, covering more than 5000 acres, looked after by a combination of volunteer wardens, employed staff and volunteer groups. Where possible, facilities such as nature trails, interpretation boards and information leaflets are provided to increase visitor enjoyment and understanding of the importance of the site.

In recent years the concept of "living landscapes" being restored for both people and wildlife has taken hold. One such initiative is the Wild Penwith project which aims to restore and reconnect wildlife habitats across the peninsula. To achieve this CWT is working closely with local farmers, landowners, businesses and communities.

Being a maritime region and home to some of the richest marine wildlife, from rare and colourful corals to giant basking sharks, CWT runs an extensive marine conservation programme known as Living Seas. This involves collecting data on marine wildlife, raising awareness of the threats to marine life and campaigning for better protection of marine species and habitats.

This includes the Seaquest Basking Shark Project, an ongoing survey that helps to monitor and protect the creatures, for which Cornwall is a renowned hotspot.

During the past 50 years, Cornwall Wildlife Trust has achieved much but is clearly not resting on its laurels as it strives to ensure that wildlife thrives.

To join, support or find out more about the charity, write to Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Five Acres, Allet, Truro, Cornwall TR4 9DJ, visit www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk or call 01872-273939.