Prince William unveils plan to restore Dartmoor

The Prince of Wales says restoring nature and tackling global warming are key to keeping Dartmoor special.

Prince William, the Duke of Cornwall, said a 20-year plan for the Duchy's Dartmoor estate aimed to restore peatlands, upland habitats and promote sustainable farming.

The Duchy of Cornwall said researchers had found the national park was prone to increasingly dry summers and frost-free winters.

The project was launched by Prince William during a visit to an area of restored peatland near Princetown on Dartmoor.

The prince urged action to "keep Dartmoor special".

The project will focus on "co-ordinated public and private investment" to restore peatlands and upland mosaic habitats in the south Devon area.

In a foreword to the Landscape Vision project, the prince said the vision was "bold and ambitious" and he hoped it would be delivered "for generations to come".

Researchers had found the average number of frost days on Dartmoor was expected to halve over the next 40 years while the odds of a dry summer would rise by 30%, said the Duchy.

It said 2C (35.6F) of global warming could prevent Dartmoor being suitable for blanket peatland, which stores carbon and water and sustains biodiversity.

Prince William said: "Dartmoor is a magnificent and complex ecosystem – the balance between nature and people has evolved for thousands of years to shape the landscape we recognise today.

"The Dartmoor Vision shows us what might be possible and how that might be achieved.

"To keep Dartmoor special, we must respond to the twin challenges of global warming and the requirement to restore nature, while ensuring the communities on Dartmoor can thrive."

The project is also seeking to create "partnerships between landowners, farmers and wildlife teams" and foster "collaboration and mutual respect in what has historically been a contested landscape".

The Duchy said it would promote sustainable farming as well as initiatives to provide affordable housing for landscape managers and retiring workers.

Matthew Morris, rural director at the Duchy, said: "With the Dartmoor landscape increasingly vulnerable to climate change, the need to build resilience is clearer than ever."

During his visit, William met Duchy tenant farmers David and Justine Colton at Tor Royal Bog.

He also spoke to members of the South West Peatland Partnership and Tony Juniper, chair of Natural England.

Before his departure, the prince met representatives from the local fire service, Dartmoor National Park Authority rangers and Commoners Council to hear about their experiences of responding to a recent wildfire on North Moor.

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