Conservation Works Service

Function of Service

The Conservation Works Service plays a significant and fundamental role in delivering the Authority’s statutory duties on the ground:
to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage;

The Conservation Works Service actively carries out physical conservation and maintenance of the landscape, habitats and archaeology and provides technical advice to enable others to do the same.
To promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities (of the National Park) by the public.

The Conservation Works Service provides the essential facilities and services to support public enjoyment of Dartmoor through the provision, maintenance and repair of car parks, paths, toilets, information centers and interpretation sign boards.

In pursuing these purposes:
to seek to foster the economic and social well being of local communities

The Conservation Works Service employs many local skilled contractors who carry out work to properties and landscape from plumbing to riverbank repair and car park construction to sewerage disposal.  In addition the service supports local communities through the provision of advice, assistance and physical works to enhance and improve local public areas and facilities.

The Service underpins all other Authority services in the achievement of work on the ground to fulfill the objectives within the Management and Business Plans. In addition, the Service maintains the Authority’s own land and buildings, and other property either leased or in the Authority’s care.

Overarching Goal of the Conservation Work Service

To provide a conservation works capability within the National Park Authority that offers the full range of professional and practical skills needed to commission, implement and monitor conservation, recreation and community schemes and maintenance of DNPA assets safely, efficiently and to a high standard.

Current Operation

Scope of current work programme.

Conservation schemes

• Cultural heritage (consolidation, repairs, archaeological projects etc)

   

• Natural environment (to include stonewalling, woodland work, management agreements and anti-erosion.)

       

Recreation schemes

• Recreational management for example banking, ditching, anti-erosion work.
• Visitor facilities

Public Rights of Way work (bridges, etc)

Community schemes

Village enhancement schemes

• Assistance to Parish Councils

Maintenance and enhancement of Dartmoor National Park Authority land (owned, leased or licensed)

• Moorland
• Woodland
• Car parks
• Other

       

Maintenance and enhancement of DNPA buildings (owned or leased)

• Offices at Parke and Princetown
• Station Yard
• Information Centres
• Higher Uppacott
• Toilets
• Other

       

Current delivery

The Service delivers its objectives by

• undertaking tasks from conception to completion, using a small, quality, multi-skilled in-house workforce.
• undertaking tasks from conception to completion, using accomplished local craftsmen and professionals
• offering expertise, support and advice to other Authority services, partners, stakeholders, authorities, communities and members of the public as appropriate, to enable quality works on the ground to take place.
• undertaking the cleaning and maintenance of Authority buildings and land, either with in-house staff or by using service providers.
• providing an in-house team capable of reacting quickly and effectively to situations as they arise, including an emergency response.

Current staff and their roles

The Conservation Works Service is part of the Park Management Directorate, the Service has recently been restructured. It now employs 13 staff (3 of whom are part time).  Their roles are as follows:

Head of Service - manages the service, including staff, budgets, drawing up and delivery of service plans.
Conservation Technician – Mason (skilled mason)
Conservation Technician – Maintenance (repair and maintenance of DNPA land and properties; monitoring; general assistance), relief toilet cleaning
Conservation Technician – Aprentice Stonemason
Conservation Technician - (Support) Caretaker (Parke)
Conservation Technician – Caretaker / cleaner (Princetown)
Conservation Technician – Woodlands (practical management of DNPA woodlands)
Conservation Technician – Woodlands (practical management of DNPA woodlands)
Lengthsman - erosion repair and maintenance
Gardener – part time (Parke)
Toilet Cleaner – full time (Haytor, Dartmeet, Venford etc)
Toilet Cleaner – part time (Postbridge)
Office cleaner – part time (Princetown)

External Contractors

The Conservation Works Service extensively uses local craftsmen and contractors to undertake quality works in the Dartmoor landscape.  These are experts in ‘Dartmoor’ skills - landscaping, stone walling, hedgelaying, forestry, fencing, bridge building, pond construction, car park construction, moorland path maintenance, traditional building maintenance, etc.  These craftsmen usually have their own heavy plant and other equipment, are all skilled in the use of it, and are often better placed to undertake the larger projects under the supervision of the Service, rather than the in-house team. The Service holds and updates a register of these craftsmen all of whom are covered by public liability insurance.

As well as the people mentioned above, other professional services are bought in when necessary. These include architects, structural engineers, security firms, builders, shopfitters, mechanics, heating engineers, carpenter/joiners, painter/decorators, electricians, plumbers, mechanical engineers, specialist surveyors (asbestos, radon etc.) drainage consultants, sanitary services, scaffolders, sign makers, glaziers, fire systems inspectors etc.

This huge and diverse range of skills complements and backs up the resources available to the Authority.

Future priorities

The future work programme for the Service over the next 5 years will be strongly focused on implementing and supporting many of the practical actions in the Dartmoor National Park Management Plan.

The Conservation Works Service will continue to provide a conservation works capability within the National Park Authority to deliver the National Park Authority's Business Plan.