Dartmoor National Park Authority
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3 December 2009
Sustainable Development in Dartmoor National Park
In its bi-monthly meeting the Dartmoor Sustainable Development Fund (DSDF) panel has agreed to provide £7,730 in funding for more projects generated by local people and community organisations, that demonstrate environmental, social and local economic benefits for Dartmoor as well as furthering National Park purposes.
Funding has been provided for a feasibility study that will assess the viability of expanding the existing Dartmoor Way circular route for walkers and cyclists to encompass the Southern moor. The study will consult with local businesses and user groups.
A community farming initiative in Chagford has received funding. This initiative will provide locally produced seasonal fruit and vegetables to residents of Chagford. The scheme is based on the principles of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), whereby consumers become members of the scheme and pay an annual subscription in return for a yearly veg box. Members become directly involved in the risks and rewards of producing their own food.
Funding has also been provided for the repair of one of Dartmoor’s important leats (artificial watercourses). For hundreds of years leats have served the people of Dartmoor by providing them with power for local industries and agriculture as well as water to drink. The Grimstone and Sortridge Leat (near Merrivale Quarry) has a serious leak which, during the summer months, prevents water from travelling its full length.
Lustleigh pre-school has also benefitted from a grant to provide nature school sessions to the children. The sessions will focus on educating the children about the habitats and wildlife in the village orchard. Funding will also enable the pre-school children to create and tend their own garden.
The Sustainable Development Fund is a grant scheme aimed at local people and organisations in and around England's National Parks. It is a fund provided by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and is managed by the respective National Park Authorities, though decisions are made by an independent panel of local members. Dartmoor has a fund of £180,000 to distribute annually.
Further details of the funding criteria and information on projects previously funded can be found at www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/index/doitonline/os-grants/li-dartmoorsustdev.htm
Potential applicants should contact to Holly Tiffen, Dartmoor Sustainable Development Officer, to establish the suitability of the project idea to the fund. Holly is available on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, telephone (01626) 831067 or email htiffen@dartmoor-npa.gov.uk. Applications for grants of under £2,000 can be made without going in front of the DSDF Panel, those of £2,000 and over will be decided on by the Panel who meet on a bi-monthly basis; applicants will have the option of presenting their project to the Panel.
Ends
For further information
Holly Tiffen, Sustainable Development Officer
Tel: (01626) 831067
Mike Nendick, Communications Officer
Dartmoor National Park Authority
Tel: (01626) 832093
Notes for Editors
Sustainable Development is a pattern of resource use that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present but in the indefinite future. In essence it is about all of us: young and old, able and less able, having a good quality of life now, but in a way that has no negative effects elsewhere and also ensures that future generations will not suffer as a result of our actions. It is about living within the carrying capacity of the environment so that how we live, work and play does not harm or put undue pressure on the environment.
The Dartmoor Sustainable Development Fund was launched in June 2002, to enable individuals, community groups and businesses to implement innovative new ideas for better ways of living in, working in, and visiting Dartmoor, that also contribute towards the Dartmoor National Park Authority achieving its purposes, and that might otherwise have difficulty in getting finance. The Fund is administered by the Sustainable Development Officer – with inputs from other specialist officers on issues that might have an impact on their areas of responsibility - archaeology, ecology, land management, education, forestry, community, and so on. Decisions are made with the help of an independent Grant Advisory Panel, which meets every two months.
Projects supported have ranged from renewable energy to nature conservation, from sustainable tourism to social inclusion, and from green transport to education for sustainable living.
Applications for a grant of less than £2,000 will normally be decided by the Director of Planning and Sustainable Development under delegated powers. This will generally take 7 working days from the receipt of a satisfactory formal application. All other applications will be considered by a Grant Advisory Panel of 8 independent members, one of whom will be a Member of the National Park Authority and the others will represent social, economic and environmental interests.
Dartmoor National Park Authority’s purposes under the Environment Act 1995 are:
In carrying out this work, we are also required to seek to foster the economic and social well-being of local communities within the National Park.
Agendas for full Dartmoor National Park Authority meetings and Dartmoor National Park Authority planning meetings are available on the Authority's web site .
You can receive an e-mail notification each time a News Release is issued by the Dartmoor National Park Authority .
News Releases from all UK National Parks (external link, opens new window)
For maps, guide books, trail guides, clothing and other Dartmoor merchandise visit Dartmoor National Park Authority’s Online Shop
There are 15 members of the National Parks family in the UK: Brecon Beacons, Dartmoor, Exmoor, Lake District, New Forest, Northumberland, North York Moors, Peak District, Pembrokeshire Coast, Snowdonia, South Downs, Yorkshire Dales, Loch Lomond & The Trossachs, the Cairngorms and the Broads. National Parks are of special value to the whole nation because of their great beauty, their wildlife and cultural interests and the opportunities they offer for quiet enjoyment. However, they are not nationally owned - the land is in the hands of many landowners or occupiers including farmers. Over 34,500 people live in Dartmoor National Park and many millions of visits are made to it each year.
Celebrating 60 years of the legislation that created National Parks and other protected landscapes (external link, opens new window)
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Page updated 2 December 2009
