Most of the land in Scilly is owned by the Duchy of Cornwall. Some of it is rented out to tenant farmers but the untenanted land (over 60% of the landscape) is managed by the IOS Wildlife Trust who rent it for the token sum of 1 daffodil per year. As well as being involved in the Seabird Recovery project, the trust keeps an eye on the various habitats,creates nature trails,tends the numerous ancient monumentsand looks after the footpaths. The main islands are all circled by a coastal path and this does need regular inspection and maintenance due to the ever encroaching sea, which gradually undercuts the cliffs. The shores on the outer edges of the islands are often battered by huge Atlantic waves. Undercutting at the bottom of the cliff can cause the whole slope to slide down the hill, taking the path with it. You can clearly see the line of the new path. Look below it for traces of the old one. There are 30 miles of footpaths on St Mary’s alone, and the IOS Wildlife Trust do a great job, ensuring that they are safe to explore.