During
World War II, a US military camp was situated in Sylvia's Meadow, which housed only white
American armed forces personnel. Black American airmen were
billeted in an adjacent field. Since then, the land has been left unploughed and unimproved. In this respect, Sylvia's Meadow is virtually unique to Cornwall. The meadow was designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1992. The reserve is named after a previous owner's daughter. ==Flora and fauna==