Dartmoor's Dynamic Landscapes

Dartmoor’s Dynamic Landscapes is a partnership for nature and people. Our vision is to create more naturally resilient landscapes, to enable better understanding and to connect people more sustainably to their place.

The programme has a landscape focus on three of Dartmoor’s river catchments - the Okement, the Dart and the Erme & Yealm. They include some of our best landscapes – moorland bogs, grassland, wetland, wooded valleys, and riverside settlements that act as ‘gateways’ to the National Park. There is a particular focus on the towns of Okehampton, Princetown and Ivybridge.

The partnership is currently in the development phase. This means we submitted an outline proposal for funding to the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF), they granted limited funding to allow Partners to consult on and work up detailed proposals.

The Partnership aims to achieve:

More naturally resilient landscapes, through working with land managers and farmers –

• We will have a better understanding of grassland and river habitats, moorland birds, and ancient trees;
• Capturing more water and carbon in the landscape through natural flood management, peatland restoration and restoration of ancient woodland sites;
• Facilitating knowledge sharing through mentoring opportunities and events.

Communities are more connected to their place, with a specific focus on the gateway towns of Ivybridge, Okehampton and Princetown –

• Improving access and route knowledge in and from the towns to enable active travel to green spaces;
• Celebrating landscape heritage, for example through a programme of river and moorland festivals;
• Opportunities for community grant funding. 

This development work will culminate with a finished submission to the NLHF in August 2024. If successful, programme delivery will be from 2025 to 2030.

For further information contact Dartmoor’s Dynamic Landscapes Development Officer, Hannah Kingsbury hkingsbury@dartmoor.gov.uk