Our landscape vision

We have started our Development Phase by consulting with a large range of stakeholders and creating a long-term vision for what we all want the moor to be like in the future. In partnership with the Duchy of Cornwall we have worked with Digg and Co (landscape architect, farmer and ecologist) to create the illustrations and book below.

The process

We held consultation sessions with a breadth of stakeholders representing farming, commoning, conservation, Governmental and non-Governmental bodies. Met Office data was summarised and presented to the participants who were all asked the same five key questions about the future management of Dartmoor to maintain consistency.

Simple line-drawn visualisations of these areas were prepared and presented to stakeholders. Each stakeholder was encouraged to annotate these drawings with their ideas and suggestions for Dartmoor, either through sketches or written notes.

This input was gathered and analysed to create more detailed visualisations, which were then shared with consultees for feedback. The revised visualisations were accompanied by data gathered from the process and presented in multiple formats – tables, diagrams, and written descriptions – ensuring that participants could engage with the information in the way most accessible and comfortable for them.

The following illustrations are the visual output form all the stakeholder engagement sessions.

“Together we can create a clear long-term vision for what we all want the moor to be like in the future, and then work out how to make it happen.”

John Dracup, Chair of the Central Dartmoor Farm Cluster

Our Key principles

These are our suggested key principles to help inform the co-design of our farm and common management plans.

Where appropriate, advance the succession to woodland within river valleys. Protecting rivers from increasing rainfall. Work in an integrated way with multiple natural flood management techniques to develop catchment scale improvements.

Maintain and increase upland peatland restoration and protection.

Move towards landscape-scale, ecologically led, grazing principles. Rekindle herding and shepherding in line with scientific monitoring and system feedback.

Reconnect the natural habitats between upland areas and enclosed farmland. Promote species recovery within these.

Be open to trial and change (experimental mindset). Set up multiple ecological trials with the Landscape Recovery Project and Dartmoor Land Use Management Group’s help.

Work at catchment scale to enhance and protect the river systems to work better in the face of climate change (slow upland flow to mitigate downstream impact).

Maintain ancient enclosed field patterns and improve or replace where lost, heritage field shapes. Invest in repair of historic infrastructure such as walls etc.

Prioritise native species-rich habitats and their adapted flora and fauna across all landscapes (in bye, newtake, high moor)

Use public money for public goods to support sustainable farming and commoning for environment, climate and food/fibre.

Support the provision of quality, affordable homes for those managing the landscape and retiring farmers and workers.

Improve integration & narrative of farming practices and products with local economies and businesses.

Improve and promote visitor information regarding to the relationship to farming and the environment.

Create a skills pool for manual help. (Assistance forum). Educate rural skills beyond the farming community.

Respect and maintain ancient archaeology, also aiding habitat complexity in the landscape through grazing requirements.

Combine local scientists and communities in work to evolve continually the habitats of Dartmoor in line with up-to-date climate change predictions and scientific advances.

A Landscape Vision

This Study was inspired to achieve a consensus relating to Dartmoor’s future management. It uniquely combines a review of literature, data, climate modelling, lived experience and opinion from a diverse range of stakeholders, culminating in the production of three recognised landscape forms of valleys and foothills, enclosed uplands and the high moor. Alongside these are a series of suggested Management Actions and Key Principles, which are offered to inform and help shape management plans as part of our Landscape Recovery.

Download our E-book

Digg & Co

Digg & Co are an ecological design practice focusing on projects which positively contribute to the natural world. They work with their clients, collaborators, creatives and scientific experts to ensure that design and ecosystems thinking are drawn on harmoniously. There is no by the book way of design; they allow the information they analyse to bring about the answers for each individual project. Find out more about Digg and Co at www.diggandco.com

Our landscape vision

The process

Our Key principles

A Landscape Vision

Digg & Co

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