3 days ago
Prince William looks the part in a flat cap and wellington boots as he visits a muddy Dartmoor after unveiling 'ambitious' 20-year plan to restore 'special' landscape
Prince William has stepped out in Dartmoor today after unveiling an 'ambitious' 20-year plan to restore the 'special' landscape.
Looking the part in a pair of wellington boots and a flat cap, the Prince of Wales, known also as the Duke of Cornwall, visited Tor Bog, an area of restored peatland on the moor.
His outing comes as the royal's estate, Duchy of Cornwall, launched a new project to 'create a resilient environment' and meet the changing needs of Dartmoor's communities.
In a foreword to the Landscape Vision project, designed as a 20-year roadmap, William said that restoring nature and tackling global warming are key to keeping the area 'special'.
His statement read: '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.'
Researchers found the average number of frost days in Dartmoor is expected to halve over the next 40 years while the odds of a dry summer will rise by 30 per cent, the Duchy of Cornwall said.
It added that 2C of global warming could prevent Dartmoor being suitable for blanket peatland, which stores carbon and water and sustains biodiversity.
The project - which outlines a set of guiding principles to inform the future environmental management of the Duchy's Dartmoor estate - will focus on 'coordinated public and private investment' to restore peatlands and upland mosaic habitats in the south Devon area.
Convened by the Duchy of Cornwall and Central Dartmoor Landscape Recovery Project, it 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 will promote sustainable farming as well as initiatives to provide affordable housing for landscape managers and retiring workers.
Around 35,000 people live in Dartmoor and more than two million people visit each year.
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 support the creation of 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.
William's outing comes as the royal's estate, Duchy of Cornwall, launched a new project to 'create a resilient environment' and meet the changing needs of Dartmoor's communities
Claire Hyne, project manager at Central Dartmoor Landscape Recovery Project, said: '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.'
Matthew Morris, rural director at the Duchy of Cornwall, said they want to set up 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'.
Mr Morris added: 'With the Dartmoor landscape increasingly vulnerable to climate change, the need to build resilience is clearer than ever.'
Meanwhile, Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, said: '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.'
