Dartmoor residents reminded to have their say on National Park’s future
People who care about the future of Dartmoor are being reminded to take part in a public consultation on the National Park’s priorities for the next five years.
The review of Dartmoor’s Partnership Plan is still under way, with residents, businesses, visitors and organisations invited to comment on its proposed outcomes and targets.
The plan sets out what makes Dartmoor National Park special and what needs to happen to protect and enhance it. It is intended to provide a shared direction for the whole National Park, bringing together people and organisations with an interest in its future.
The review is being led by a Partnership Plan Board, which is considering a range of important issues, including improving habitats and supporting nature recovery, tackling climate change and reducing emissions, protecting Dartmoor’s cultural heritage and enabling sustainable, resilient farming.
Other priorities include making the moor more accessible, improving transport and opportunities for people to enjoy and understand the landscape, particularly younger generations, and helping local businesses and communities to thrive.
The consultation asks people whether they agree with the proposed outcomes and targets, how progress should be measured and what should be achieved over the next five years.
The survey is open to everyone, with opportunities to add individual comments. Participants can respond to the areas that interest them most or complete the full questionnaire.
The National Park Authority recommends reading the draft Partnership Plan and its proposed outcomes and targets before starting the survey.
The consultation closes on Sunday, 22 November.
Questionnaires are available online through the Your Dartmoor website at www.yourdartmoor.org/partnership-plan-review/partnership-plan-consultation.
Paper copies can be collected from the National Park Authority's main office at Parke, Bovey Tracey, or from its visitor centres at Haytor and Postbridge. Large-print versions are available on request by emailing [email protected].
Drop-in events are also planned in key locations, with details to be published on the Partnership Plan website.
National Park Authorities are legally required to prepare and regularly review a management plan setting out how they will deliver their statutory purposes and duty. Dartmoor’s Partnership Plan is intended to go further than the authority alone, bringing together the many organisations and individuals who help shape the future of the moor.
Once the consultation closes, responses will be considered alongside evidence and other assessments to inform an updated plan. Dartmoor National Park Authority and the Partnership Plan Board aim to publish the revised Partnership Plan in early 2027.
People are being urged to take part to help ensure that the future priorities for Dartmoor reflect the views and ambitions of those who live, work and spend time in the National Park.