Bold nature recovery plan for Wistman’s Wood

The Duchy of Cornwall has unveiled an ambitious initiative to rejuvenate and expand Wistman's Wood, a precious remnant of temperate rainforest located in the South West. Situated in the West Dart Valley on Dartmoor, Devon, this three-hectare ancient oak woodland is home to rare Atlantic mosses and lichens. It holds multiple designations, including National Nature Reserve, Site of Special Scientific Interest, and Special Area of Conservation.
On Tuesday, 11th July, Prince William visited Wistman’s Wood after working with its agricultural tenants, Natural England and consulting with the Dartmoor National Park Authority for over two years, to develop a landscape scale plan to expand Wistman’s Wood to bring about its increased resilience.

The regeneration and expansion plans are part of The Duchy of Cornwall’s vision of Sustainable Stewardship – for Communities, Enterprise and Nature. The Estate has been and will continue to work to achieve its sustainability goal of a net zero and nature rich Estate with farming playing an instrumental role in the delivery, driven forward by Prince William.

Legend has it that Wistman's Wood, rumored to be haunted, is all that remains of a vast forest that once blanketed Dartmoor since 7000 BC until it was cleared by Neolithic hunter-gatherers around 5000 BC. Unfortunately, this woodland faces various threats due to its small size and isolation, including fire, disease, and climate change. In response, the Duchy aims to bolster its resilience and enhance the surrounding areas by collaborating with natural processes, its agricultural tenants, Natural England, and the Dartmoor National Park Authority.

David Cope, the Head of Sustainability at the Duchy of Cornwall, expressed his satisfaction in sharing the plans for the regeneration and expansion of Wistman's Wood on Dartmoor. Acknowledging the wood's significance for both nature and people, Cope emphasized the importance of this endeavor in achieving the Duchy's goals of establishing a net-zero and nature-rich estate. He stated that Wistman's Wood provides a habitat for extremely rare species, further highlighting the significance of this work.

The comprehensive plan, under development for over two years, encompasses several key elements:
·       Encouraging the natural regeneration of oak and rowan trees, while maintaining the semi-open conditions necessary for lichen communities. This will be achieved through controlled grazing by cattle and ponies using a wireless electric fencing system, supported by the Farming in Protected Landscapes fund.

·       Protecting selected existing regeneration with the use of cactus guards.

·       Augmenting natural regeneration by acquiring licensed seed and cultivating it for on-site replanting.

·       Expanding the National Nature Reserve status beyond Wistman's Wood itself to facilitate an integrated approach to management.

·       Establishing nine hectares of new wood pasture on the west side of the River Dart, opposite Wistman's Wood, with additional areas proposed along the riparian corridor across other Duchy farms.

·       Managing livestock grazing to promote woodland regeneration, enhance species diversity in surrounding vegetation, and provide shade and shelter for animals.

·       Improving the surfacing of 1,000 meters of the existing public footpath to enhance public access and provide updated interpretation information to visitors.

·       Gradually felling coniferous woodland in the southeastern corner of the Duchy-managed Beardown Plantation, replacing it with native broadleaves to create a more diverse habitat and soften the landscape.
John Malseed, a Duchy of Cornwall Tenant Farmer at Cherrybrook and Longaford Newtake, is actively collaborating with the Duchy to implement the plan. His role involves utilising native upland cattle and ponies as grazing tools, which, coupled with NoFence collars, allow him to target their grazing activities and contribute to realizing the vision of the Wistman's Wood Management Plan while maintaining sustainable farming practices.

Tony Juniper, Chairman of Natural England, hailed Wistman's Wood National Nature Reserve as a magical fragment of ancient temperate rainforest. He expressed enthusiasm for the plan, which seeks to bolster the wood's long-term resilience through regeneration and deliver a multitude of benefits for both people and nature. Juniper emphasized that reserves like Wistman's Wood serve as vital powerhouses for nature recovery nationwide, and highlighted the importance of partnerships in achieving large-scale restoration efforts. He expressed delight in working with the Duchy of Cornwall and its tenants to create a successful model of farming and nature recovery operating hand in hand. Enhancing this remarkable landscape and its habitats will enable future generations to connect with its rich wildlife and historical significance.

The Duchy of Cornwall's overarching vision has always centered around Sustainable Stewardship, with a focus on Communities, Enterprise, and Nature. Their sustainability objective is to establish a net-zero and nature-rich Estate, ensuring the flourishing of communities and enterprises in support of a sustainable world.
Other sustainability projects on Dartmoor include a Curlew Recovery Project; a conservation initiative to protect and enhance the number of Curlew on Dartmoor, and the Hay Meadow Restoration Project, where the Duchy is recreating flower rich, traditional hay meadow grassland. In addition, the Duchy is working in partnership with the South West Peatland Partnership to help deliver 800 hectares of peatland restoration which has multiple benefits for carbon storage, biodiversity, water quality and flow.