A Cornwall nature conservation stalwart has received a prestigious award for her dedication to wildlife.  

Rosemary Parslow’s career has spanned working with the Natural History Museum, Nature Conservancy Council, English Nature and various Wildlife Trusts, while she has authored many papers, articles and books about British wildlife. 

A volunteer for over 60 years with the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust, she was awarded the Christopher Cadbury Medal at The Wildlife Trusts’ annual general meeting last Thursday.   

Rosemary’s love of the archipelago has led her to play a major role in documenting its natural history. She is especially fascinated by seabirds, especially storm petrels and Manx shearwaters, and used to stay overnight on tiny islands to ring the birds.  

One of her favorite memories was her quest to find the least adder’s-tongue fern, a primitive plant that is only two-centimetres tall. 

It appears in winter so Rosemary would spend Christmases on the islands to search for it; she was eventually rewarded by its discovery on St Agnes.  

Now 87, St Austell-based Rosemary continues to use her knowledge and experience by helping to map the coasts and heaths of the islands to work out where best to apply conservation efforts. 

 “Scilly is a magical place and being there has given me so many memories,” she says. “There are over 100 islands and I’m lucky to have landed on many of them, finding each as fascinating as the next.  

“Wildlife on islands is limited by its surroundings and resources, so plants and animals adapt in different ways. As a naturalist, concentrating on smaller areas means you really get into depth about the wildlife there.  

“My jobs and hobbies overlapped, and that means I’ve enjoyed my life greatly. With nature, the more you learn, the less you know. 

“It’s been an endless journey of discovery, and I’m just sorry I don’t have another lifetime to do it all again.” 

The Christopher Cadbury Medal was launched in recognition of the outstanding contribution to nature conservation and The Wildlife Trusts by the late Mr J Christopher Cadbury CBE MA, president of The Wildlife Trusts from 1962 to 1988. 

Rosemary shared this year’s honours with Dr Rob Stoneman, director of landscape recovery at The Wildlife Trusts. 

Craig Bennett, chief executive of The Wildlife Trusts, said:  “It’s not always easy working to help wildlife and, for every success, there are more challenges ahead. 

“The fact Rosemary is still helping wildlife on Scilly in her late 80s is a testament to her passion, determination, and dedication to nature.”