12th June 2025
A new vision for Dartmoor sets out a plan to give new life to its wilderness; restoring nature whilst strengthening and protecting it from the impact of climate change and meeting the changing needs of people, place and planet.
Convened by the Duchy of Cornwall and Central Dartmoor Landscape Recovery Project, it brings together dozens of collaborators to propose new approaches to grazing, biodiversity, conservation and hydrological restoration, as part of the largest project of its kind in the UK.
Dartmoor is expected to face longer droughts, fewer frost days, greater heat stress and increased and more extreme rainfall – changes that not only threaten its wildlife and ecosystems, but also its local communities, cultural heritage, and vital natural services. The eight-month long study, covering 22,000 hectares of land, found that average frost days are expected to half over the next 40 years, and the chances of a dry summer will increase by 30%. Worryingly, climate scenarios predicting 2°C warming suggest Dartmoor may no longer be suitable for blanket peatland.
Home to 35,000 inhabitants and welcoming over two million visitors annually, Dartmoor provides essential resources such as clean water, timber and grazing land, with its vast peatlands also acting as an important store of carbon and water. The Landscape Vision has been developed to create a resilient environment for the future, based on input from those who know, rely on, and care for Dartmoor - including graziers, foresters, ecologists, farmers, peatland restorers, hydrologists, water companies, soldiers, fire services, conservationists, and custodians.
Designed as a 20-year roadmap, the Vision outlines a set of guiding principles to inform the future environmental management of the Duchy’s Dartmoor estate. Prioritising a holistic approach, these principles address the need for; restoring and enhancing the resilience of the natural landscape; promoting sustainable farming and land use practices (through efforts including ecologically led grazing and the prioritisation of native, species-rich grasslands); and, engaging the local community (through initiatives like developing a rural skills pool and providing affordable housing for landscape managers and retiring workers).
While specific to Dartmoor, the Vision also lays a foundation for other UK wide environmental management plans. It highlights how wild landscapes across the country and beyond can adapt to climate change, sustain rural life and biodiversity, and benefit from a collaborative approach which builds upon knowledge of a wide variety of stakeholders.
A new vision for Dartmoor sets out a plan to give new life to its wilderness; restoring nature whilst strengthening and protecting it from the impact of climate change and meeting the changing needs of people, place and planet.
Convened by the Duchy of Cornwall and Central Dartmoor Landscape Recovery Project, it brings together dozens of collaborators to propose new approaches to grazing, biodiversity, conservation and hydrological restoration, as part of the largest project of its kind in the UK.
Dartmoor is expected to face longer droughts, fewer frost days, greater heat stress and increased and more extreme rainfall – changes that not only threaten its wildlife and ecosystems, but also its local communities, cultural heritage, and vital natural services. The eight-month long study, covering 22,000 hectares of land, found that average frost days are expected to half over the next 40 years, and the chances of a dry summer will increase by 30%. Worryingly, climate scenarios predicting 2°C warming suggest Dartmoor may no longer be suitable for blanket peatland.
Home to 35,000 inhabitants and welcoming over two million visitors annually, Dartmoor provides essential resources such as clean water, timber and grazing land, with its vast peatlands also acting as an important store of carbon and water. The Landscape Vision has been developed to create a resilient environment for the future, based on input from those who know, rely on, and care for Dartmoor - including graziers, foresters, ecologists, farmers, peatland restorers, hydrologists, water companies, soldiers, fire services, conservationists, and custodians.
Designed as a 20-year roadmap, the Vision outlines a set of guiding principles to inform the future environmental management of the Duchy’s Dartmoor estate. Prioritising a holistic approach, these principles address the need for; restoring and enhancing the resilience of the natural landscape; promoting sustainable farming and land use practices (through efforts including ecologically led grazing and the prioritisation of native, species-rich grasslands); and, engaging the local community (through initiatives like developing a rural skills pool and providing affordable housing for landscape managers and retiring workers).
While specific to Dartmoor, the Vision also lays a foundation for other UK wide environmental management plans. It highlights how wild landscapes across the country and beyond can adapt to climate change, sustain rural life and biodiversity, and benefit from a collaborative approach which builds upon knowledge of a wide variety of stakeholders.
The Duchy of Cornwall has identified three key areas of focus that will help realise and deliver on the principles set out in Landscape Vision. These include:
- Closer, practical partnerships between landowners, farmers and wildlife teams fostering collaboration and mutual respect in what has historically been a contested landscape. A recognition that people are at the heart of Dartmoor, and continued collaboration, will be key to securing its future.
- A holistic strategy to address Dartmoor’s priority habitat challenges, focusing on coordinated public and private investment in restoring the area’s peatlands and upland mosaic habitats, vital for carbon storage, water retention, and biodiversity. This should involve continued collaboration with key stakeholders, including fire services, the military, commoners, and conservationists, to tackle issues such as wildfire risk and vegetation uniformity.
- Agri-environment schemes implemented at the catchment level, connecting river headwaters with their onward journey to the sea. These should be complemented by dynamic, nuanced grazing systems that allow sensitive habitats time to recover and regenerate, alongside targeted efforts to restore degraded areas, positioning Dartmoor’s farmers and livestock as vital stewards of the lands.
- A holistic strategy to address Dartmoor’s priority habitat challenges, focusing on coordinated public and private investment in restoring the area’s peatlands and upland mosaic habitats, vital for carbon storage, water retention, and biodiversity. This should involve continued collaboration with key stakeholders, including fire services, the military, commoners, and conservationists, to tackle issues such as wildfire risk and vegetation uniformity.
- Agri-environment schemes implemented at the catchment level, connecting river headwaters with their onward journey to the sea. These should be complemented by dynamic, nuanced grazing systems that allow sensitive habitats time to recover and regenerate, alongside targeted efforts to restore degraded areas, positioning Dartmoor’s farmers and livestock as vital stewards of the lands.
Writing the Vision’s foreword, HRH Prince William, The Duke of Cornwall says:
“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. 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 Dartmoor Vision shows us what might be possible and how that might be achieved. It is bold and ambitious and something that I hope, by working together, can be delivered for not just the current generation but for generations to come.”
“The Dartmoor Vision shows us what might be possible and how that might be achieved. It is bold and ambitious and something that I hope, by working together, can be delivered for not just the current generation but for generations to come.”
Explore the vision
Matthew Morris, Rural Director, Duchy of Cornwall says:
“This ground-breaking Landscape Vision aims to establish a shared and multifunctional approach to the way the land is farmed, managed, and used, and in doing so create a more resilient Dartmoor environment. With the Dartmoor landscape increasingly vulnerable to climate change, the need to build resilience is clearer than ever. The level of collaboration behind this vision has been remarkable, enabling us to develop a clear path to protect, restore and heal the land, grounded in the knowledge of those who know Dartmoor best.”
“This ground-breaking Landscape Vision aims to establish a shared and multifunctional approach to the way the land is farmed, managed, and used, and in doing so create a more resilient Dartmoor environment. With the Dartmoor landscape increasingly vulnerable to climate change, the need to build resilience is clearer than ever. The level of collaboration behind this vision has been remarkable, enabling us to develop a clear path to protect, restore and heal the land, grounded in the knowledge of those who know Dartmoor best.”
Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England says:
“The historic and beautiful landscapes of Dartmoor can once again be vibrant with characteristic wildlife, if common cause can be forged among those who work in and enjoy this wonderful place. I commend the inclusive approach taken by the Duchy of Cornwall and Central Dartmoor Landscape Recovery project in shaping this vision for Dartmoor. Natural England supports the key principles and actions, and we look forward to supporting its implementation both directly and alongside those people who live and work in this special place. We also believe the vision has a potentially important role in guiding the Land Use Management Group in the development of the land use framework and plan for Dartmoor’s protected sites.”
“The historic and beautiful landscapes of Dartmoor can once again be vibrant with characteristic wildlife, if common cause can be forged among those who work in and enjoy this wonderful place. I commend the inclusive approach taken by the Duchy of Cornwall and Central Dartmoor Landscape Recovery project in shaping this vision for Dartmoor. Natural England supports the key principles and actions, and we look forward to supporting its implementation both directly and alongside those people who live and work in this special place. We also believe the vision has a potentially important role in guiding the Land Use Management Group in the development of the land use framework and plan for Dartmoor’s protected sites.”
Claire Hyne, Project Manager, Central Dartmoor Landscape Recovery Project says:
“The Central Dartmoor Landscape Recovery Project plans to continue to work alongside the Duchy, farmers and commoners to co-create integrated land management plans whilst identifying opportunities for green finance and funding to help sustain farm businesses, test new ideas and deliver positive environmental outcomes. It has been an extremely positive collaborative process that the Central Dartmoor Farm Cluster has enjoyed being a part of. We hope that others with an interest in Dartmoor will welcome this body of work, support the key principles identified and use the Vision and visualisations when developing new strategies, land management and action plans for the part of Dartmoor they manage, or for their areas of interest.”
“The Central Dartmoor Landscape Recovery Project plans to continue to work alongside the Duchy, farmers and commoners to co-create integrated land management plans whilst identifying opportunities for green finance and funding to help sustain farm businesses, test new ideas and deliver positive environmental outcomes. It has been an extremely positive collaborative process that the Central Dartmoor Farm Cluster has enjoyed being a part of. We hope that others with an interest in Dartmoor will welcome this body of work, support the key principles identified and use the Vision and visualisations when developing new strategies, land management and action plans for the part of Dartmoor they manage, or for their areas of interest.”
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