Dartmoor Commoners

OUR constituency cradles within it a sizeable part of one of the greatest treasures within the British Isles — Dartmoor National Park.

This extraordinary area of protected countryside provides more than just beauty. It is a draw for our tourism industry. It is home to the richest concentration of pre-historic sites in Europe. It is a source of biodiversity, a vast aquifer, a giant sponge for the capture of carbon. And it has also been worked upon, shaped and farmed for thousands of years. It is one of our last great wildernesses yet is significantly shaped by man.

Whilst an ice age may have crept over it – an imperceptible micro-motion easing out the valleys and uplands; whilst infinite winds may have exposed tors and granite outcrops to the wheeling seasons - man too has left his mark and continues to serve as its steward.

I recently met with members of the Dartmoor Commoners' Council and am full of admiration for their work. Around 37% of the park is so-called common land. Land that is managed by a few hundred Commoners.

One of the challenges we discussed is making sure our hill farmers survive. This means recognising that the 'public good' provided by Dartmoor requires a high level of subsidy for hill farmers. There is no living to be made without this support and I will continue to fight for this recognition of upland farmers, including within the on-going discussions on reform of the Common Agricultural Policy.

The other area that needs support is the passing on of upland skills to future generations. Much is being done here through a moorland apprenticeship scheme and I will be spending time on a farm soon to learn more. More about how man can continue to ensure the future of this outstanding place.