Campaign 'to restore nature to Dartmoor'

'A LACK OF PROGRESS IN REVERSING WILDLIFE DECLINE'

- KIRSTIE MCCRUM

A NEW campaign group has been launched to fight to restore nature to Dartmoor. The Dartmoor Nature Alliance (DNA) has been started by local ecologists, environmental campaigners and land managers.

Members say they are increasingly concerned about the condition of Dartmoor for nature and the lack of progress on halting and reversing wildlife decline in the National Park.

The group highlights the conclusion of last year's Independent Review of Protected Sites on Dartmoor, the Fursdon Review. It said that Dartmoor is "not in a good state" for nature with just 16% of its Sites of Special Scientific Interest in favourable condition.

Harry Barton, DNA chairperson, said: "By every measure, nature on Dartmoor is in trouble and, despite years of investment, the situation is not improving. This is a National Park; nature should be flourishing here, but instead, across thousands of hectares, it's in an appalling condition."

With the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP16) currently taking place, DNA says that places such as Dartmoor have a crucial role in delivering national and global targets of restoring 30% of land for nature by 2030 ("30x30").