7 December 2007
Working together for Dartmoor National Park - the launch of the Dartmoor National Park Management Plan 2007 – 2012
A Vision for Dartmoor in 2027, extolling the area’s special qualities, provides the framework for the new Dartmoor National Park Management Plan, which is being launched on 12 December 2007. This is the single most important plan for the future of Dartmoor National Park and will guide many decisions affecting the area over the coming five years. This is a Plan for all who care about Dartmoor and its future. |  |
The Management Plan is the outcome of an extensive consultation process which commenced in 2006 and provided everyone with an interest in Dartmoor the opportunity to present their views and ideas: from the parish hall to Whitehall; from individuals to agencies.
The plan contains a series of ambitions, grouped under three themes: Sense of Place, Access for All, and Business and Community. These Ambitions are given practical meaning by a series of goals to be delivered in the next five years which range from conserving 1,100 hectares of Rhôs pasture to the development of a Dartmoor brand which will add value to local businesses.
Woven through the Management Plan Ambitions are a number of cross-cutting themes that are of particular importance in ensuring a sustainable future for Dartmoor National Park. These include: climate change, the future of upland farming, transport, social inclusion, and the importance of developing an evidence-led approach to decision-making.
Nigel Hoskin, Chairman, Dartmoor National Park Authority, said:
'On behalf of Dartmoor National Park Authority I pledge our commitment to working with all partners and stakeholders in the spirit of the Plan we have created together. We have much to cherish and, together, we can achieve great things and build a legacy of which we can all be proud. I see the publication of this Management Plan as the start of that process.'
Kevin Bishop, Chief Executive, Dartmoor National Park Authority said:
'People are the key to delivering this Plan. We have tried to develop the Plan in a spirit of partnership and delivering it will need to be a shared responsibility dependent on forging new, and maintaining existing, strong working relationships. It will involve everyone with an interest in the future of Dartmoor, from national agencies and local authorities to local communities and the voluntary sector. Collectively these make an invaluable contribution to the conservation and enjoyment of the National Park and can contribute much to the future sustainability of Dartmoor and its communities.'
The Plan will be available on-line at www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk or in hard copy from Dartmoor National Park Authority Headquarters, Parke, Bovey Tracey or the High Moorland Visitor Centre, Princetown, from Wednesday 12 December 2007.
Ends
For further information
Kevin Bishop, Chief Executive (National Park Officer)
Sue Goodfellow, Director of Park Management
Deborah Griffiths, Head of Cultural Heritage Service
John Weir, Head of Education, Information and Communications Service
Mike Nendick, Communications Officer, Dartmoor National Park Authority
Tel: (01626) 832093
Notes for editors
Launch of the Dartmoor National Park Management Plan
The media are invited to the launch, to be held at Brimpts Farm, near Dartmeet, on Wednesday 12 December 2007. Press packs, including copies of the Dartmoor National Park Management Plan, images to support articles and a summary, will be available at the launch.
Launch timetable, including photo and interview opportunities
| Time | Key activities |
| 11.45 | Pre-launch photo opportunity with Widecombe-in-the-Moor Primary School |
| 12.00 | Arrival & mulled wine |
| 12.15 |
Photo opportunity
|
| 12.25 |
|
| 12.35 | A local example of how partnership working and creative solutions have been used to conserve local landscape, biodiversity and cultural heritage whilst informing, educating, and contributing to economic life: an example of the type of innovation and partnership that will deliver the Management Plan. |
| 12.45 |
Photo opportunity
|
| 1.00 |
Interview opportunity
|
| 2.00 | departure |
The launch of the Dartmoor National Park Management Plan will be carbon neutral, with trees being planted to offset any carbon emissions resulting from the event.
Stakeholders attending the launch (confirmed as at 6/12/2007)
Teignbridge District Council
West Devon Borough Council
South West Protected Landscapes Forum
South West Regional Development Agency
Open Spaces Society
Natural England
National Farmers’ Union
Dartmoor Commoners’ Council
MOD
Land Use Consultants
High Moorland Community Action
Government Office for the South West
Forestry Commission
Duchy of Cornwall
Devon Wildlife Trust
Devon County Council
Country Landowners’ Association
British Mountaineering Council
Devon Archaeological Society
Dartmoor Vision
Dartmoor Trust
Widecombe-in-the-Moor Parish Council
Throwleigh Parish Council
South Brent Parish Council
Lustleigh Parish Council
Lydford Parish Council
Holne Parish Council
Hennock Parish Council
Gidleigh Parish Council
Chagford Parish Council
Buckastleigh Town Council
Bovey Tracey Town Council
Suggested Storylines
Climate change
The central concern of sustainable development is to work within environmental limits, in other words not to reach a stage where the environment can no longer recover naturally, nor to destroy those aspects of the environment that are finite or cannot be re-created. Meeting those concerns is fundamental to the Dartmoor legacy and our efforts should be seen as providing an exemplar in sustainable development.
The sustainability of each of the Ambitions in the Management Plan has been assessed. This includes climate change considerations. There is an important opportunity for Dartmoor National Park to provide a lead in reducing carbon dioxide emissions and developing renewable energy. The Management Plan sets some ambitious goals, including:
- the development of at least three new community renewable energy schemes;
- exceeding Government targets for reducing carbon emissions on Dartmoor by 5%; and
- developing at least 1,500kw of new small-scale hydro-electric plants in the National Park.
The Dartmoor Sustainable Development Fund has already supported a range of projects; from micro hydro-electric schemes, school recycling and composting facilities, manufacture and distribution of biodiesel, a car pool scheme, a prototype wind turbine, local food projects and environmental art projects. All are projects that help in the pursuit of National Park purposes. For more information please contact Holly Tiffen Sustainable Development Officer, Dartmoor National Park Authority on (01626) 832093
Upland Farming
The future of farming and land management is fundamental to the future of Dartmoor. Dartmoor is a landscape that has been shaped by upland farming and its long tradition of commoning. Without grazing, the moorlands would scrub over and the distinct pattern of newtakes and fields on the moorland fringes would disappear. Farming is also important to the cultural identity of Dartmoor.
The future viability of farming on Dartmoor is a key theme in the new Management Plan. The Dartmoor Hill Farm Project (established in November 2003) is a good example of the sort of partnership working that will be needed for successful implementation of the Management Plan. The Hill Farm Project has used National Park Authority money to help farmers help themselves through branding and marketing and the development of a Moorskills training programme with a range of partners including the Duchy of Cornwall.
For more information on Dartmoor National Park Authority’s Dartmoor Hill Farm Project, please contact Cathy Heath, Dartmoor Hill Farm Project Officer on (01626) 836013.
The National Park Management Plan Vision for Dartmoor National Park in 2027
At the centre of Dartmoor stands one of the many great granite outcrops (tors) that encircle the central plateaux and give this National Park its unique character. Gaunt against the skyline, it appears like a huge monument to the primeval world, surrounded by the wind tugged heather. But it is not just the rock itself that is impressive. Go there and you will be surrounded by the ancient landscape of deep valleys and rock crested hills, long established hill farms and the buried remains of our Bronze Age predecessors. You can follow the horizon full circle, turning beneath the vast freedom of the sky, while breathing the pure, clear air of the moor. To be there gives you the reassurance that the world need not be overcrowded, polluted and dominated by consumerism. If a glint of sunlight catches a distant tractor, reminding you that this is part of a working community, it is nevertheless still a place where you can find solitude and nature thrives. Few depart without a better sense of themselves and what they cherish most, despite the pressures of the modern world.
The tor and its surroundings epitomise what makes Dartmoor a national asset. But even this is not the whole story. From the blanket bogs and valley mires to the high moors, woodland and enclosed fields, Dartmoor National Park remains a unique and varied landscape, with habitats of international importance, an extraordinary range of wildlife and wide expanses of wildness. It is also a cultural landscape, where extensive archaeological remains testify to generations of human activity. At the same time it is a place where people live, work and play, with consequent competing demands on resources.
Farming and tourism are encouraged and balanced, both to manage the landscape and to enable it to be enjoyed. The conservation of the ancient fabric of the towns, villages and farmsteads remains a high priority, as does the protection of the moor from creeping urbanisation, such as light pollution and highway infrastructure. A modest degree of expansion is allowed in the larger settlements, to accommodate new employment and to provide housing for a thriving local population. Responsible use of natural resources and a commitment to generating energy in sustainable ways is fostered in order to minimise damage not only to Dartmoor but to the wider environment.
Crucial to all of this is the continuing relationship between the local communities and the National Park itself. Both the working economy and the National Park¹s cultural identity are vested in the local people.
They provide the continuity, support and living heritage that make each place much more than a mere location on a map. This vision for Dartmoor National Park is therefore one of balance, in which both stability and change are beneficial to local people and visitors alike, and the special qualities of Dartmoor are conserved and enhanced for future generations as well as for those who visit and live in the National Park today.
Agendas for full Dartmoor National Park Authority meetings and Dartmoor National Park Authority planning meetings are available on the Authority's web site. The Agendas are placed on the Authority's web site 7 days in advance of the meetings.
You can receive an e-mail notification each time a News Release is issued by Dartmoor National Park Authority.
News Releases from all UK National Parks (external link, opens new window)
National Parks cover 10% of the land area of England, Wales and Scotland. They 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 33,500 people live inside the Dartmoor National Park and many millions of visits are made to it each year.
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This page last updated 7 December 2007
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