A CORNISH conservation charity has been thrust onto the global stage after winning a major international award – along with securing a powerful new tool to transform its work on Bodmin Moor.

The Thousand Year Trust, based in Cornwall, has been named one of just six global winners at the inaugural Defender Awards, earning a £100,000 bursary and a brand-new Land Rover Defender 4x4.

For the charity, the arrival of the new Defender is more than symbolic, it is set to be a real game-changer.

Founder Merlin Hanbury-Tenison said: “It’s the most incredible moment to form this partnership with Defender. We are a small Cornish charity that is punching well above our weight, and partnering like this truly makes that possible.”

At the heart of the trust’s work is the ambitious Cornwall Rainforest Project, which aims to restore 10,000 acres of Atlantic temperate rainforest across and around Bodmin Moor – one of the UK’s rarest and most threatened habitats.

Often seen as bleak, the moor is home to hidden valleys where fragments of ancient rainforest still survive. The charity plans to plant more than a million native trees, boost biodiversity and capture vast amounts of carbon.

But reaching these remote and rugged landscapes has always been a challenge, that was until now.

“The new Defender is going to be everything to our charity,” Merlin said. “It is going to enable us to be 10 times what we are today. We’re doing scientific research in really difficult, unpermissive areas. Having a vehicle like this means we can reach places we simply couldn’t before, carry equipment, and even stay out in the field when needed.”

The vehicle will act as a mobile base, supporting ecological surveys, tree planting and community outreach work across Cornwall and beyond.

Merlin, who grew up on a farm, said the Defender stood out immediately. “I’ve driven a lot of different vehicles and 4x4s, but nothing comes with the capability, space and functionality of these new Defender 110s, it’s a truly beautiful vehicle.”

The award marks a huge moment for the charity, which was founded just a few years ago.

“We started three or four years ago just trying to keep our heads above water,” Merlin said. “Now to be on a global stage alongside organisations from Japan, Australia and South Africa is huge.”

Despite its growing international profile, Merlin remains firmly focused on Cornwall.

“We’re a Cornish charity, founded here and working predominantly here,” he said. “I’m incredibly proud of the work we’re doing on Bodmin Moor.”

He also warned of the scale of the challenge ahead. “In Europe, average woodland cover is around 33 per cent. In the UK it’s just 14 per cent and in Cornwall it’s down at 8.5 per cent. We simply don’t have enough trees.”

However, he remains optimistic: “It’s a huge mountain to climb, but it’s one I’m relishing with my team.”

With global recognition, vital funding and a new Defender ready for action, the trust now has fresh momentum to bring Cornwall’s lost rainforests back to life.