Dartmoor: Return to the Wildwood?

The Dartmoor Society Annual Debate

Saturday 29th October 2016

By Caya Edwards

The Dartmoor Society always tries to come up with a subject that is ‘in the news’ for its Annual Debate, and this year is no exception as it will tackle the idea of ‘Rewilding’, which is part of a wider debate on how uplands such as Dartmoor are managed.

Return to the Wildwood? Is Rewilding the Future for Dartmoor?

Many people would say ‘isn’t Dartmoor pretty wild anyway?’ Dartmoor’s high moorland and forested foothills appear to be ‘untamed’ by human hands; some might wonder how it could possibly be more wild. It is in fact a highly managed landscape where farming and forestry as well as visitors and local communities compete for space with plant and animal life.

The term ‘Rewilding’ has become more widely used over recent years by those who wish to see ecological restoration on a large scale and to enable people to feel ‘connected’ with nature. Some advocate the introduction of new species or reintroducing species that have been lost. As we become more conscious of habitats and wildlife that struggle to survive, we are naturally drawn to ideas that seem to offer a solution to these problems.

For those who strongly oppose the idea of rewilding, Dartmoor’s rich tapestry of fields and hedgebanks, open moorland and forested hills is something to be cherished and preserved. They are against anything that may see farmland sacrificed, and livelihoods threatened for benefits that are uncertain and little understood.

Speaker Anne Willcocks, is a Dartmoor Farmer and Commoner, having the centuries old right to graze stock on the Dartmoor commons. She will set out her perspective in a forthright account of exactly what farmers are up against. The clue is in the title of her talk ‘Why bother?’! Farming families have created the landscape we see today, yet ever changing ideas from governing bodies about how Dartmoor is best managed may ignore this deep rooted connection between farmer, wildlife and the wider landscape, and knowledge built up over generations.

Some of the speakers in the debate will argue that Dartmoor’s landscape would be improved for wildlife and people by a degree of environmental change. Robert Cook, lecturer in Education for Sustainability at Plymouth University considers the meaning of the term “re-wilding”, and the ways that he feels it should be interpreted. He promotes what he terms ‘ecological restoration’ for long term “sustainability”. Miles King, Environmentalist and founder of the charity ‘People Need Nature’ will develop his arguments by looking at the practical details and implications of the environmental changes that could result from rewilding.

Tom Greeves, Cultural Environmentalist and chairman of the Dartmoor Society is a leading authority on Dartmoor’s history, and he will look at the cultural aspects of the Rewilding debate. Humans have been exploiting Dartmoor’s resources, and living on the land for over 8000 years. How would the remains of past human activity be managed? Would archaeological remains disappear under trees and scrubland?

Dartmoor’s wide open spaces are enjoyed by local people and visitors. Tourism is a large part of Dartmoor’s economy, so would rewilding make people feel closer to nature or would it be a barrier to their enjoyment of the moor?

All these questions will be tackled by speakers well qualified to talk on this subject as all work on or near Dartmoor. Chairing the debate is Matthew Kelly who discusses the idea of Rewilding in his book Quartz and Feldspar: Dartmoor - A British Landscape in Modern Times (2015). Tracing management strategies and attitudes towards Dartmoor over the past 150 years, rewilding is part of an evolving debate about Dartmoor and how it can flourish, yet also to accommodate people, industry, farming and wildlife.

This day long event will be held on Saturday 29th October at Meldon Village Hall, near Okehampton, advance booking by 21st October please. The cost for non members is £20 and this includes lunch and refreshments. For more information and to book online visit www.dartmoorsociety.com/events#event96

Photos

Bonehill Rocks and Bell Tor
Great Mis Tor from Foggintor Quarries
Haytor Rocks to Saddle Tor from Hamel Down
Honeybag Tor to Rippon Tor from Hamel Down
Sharp Tor and Bel Tor from Combestone Tor
Sheep’s Tor and Down Tor from Combshead Tor
Vixen Tor from Heckwood Tor
Watern Tor
Wistman’s Wood

Steve Mason has given permission to use these photos for the attached article and he retains the copyright.