Dartmoor National Park to get marshals this summer to stop overcrowding

Following the end of the first lockdown, the summer and autumn of 2020 saw intensive visitor pressure on Dartmoor, and while the increase and greater diversity of visitors was welcome, it has bought significant challenges.

A Dartmoor National Park Authority meeting on Friday morning heard that they expect the challenges in 2021 to continue and be just as great, and visitors to once again flock to the Moor.

But in an attempt to limit and respond to the challenges that this presents, a joint visitor management plan for 2021 has been agreed, and the National Park are in the process of securing additional money from the Police and Crime Commissioner, Forestry Commission and others to support ‘National Park Marshalls’, as well as using £40,000 from reserves to help fund them.

The Park will aim to encourage visitors to the Moor, but to give them the tools to enjoy the park and act responsibly, but issues a warning that if people ignore the rules and start to damage Dartmoor, then they will consider impose restrictions under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act, and will start the process now as a precautionary measure in case it is required.

Alison Kohler, director of conservation and communities told Friday’s meeting: “We are aware that we will need to influence people’s decisions and behaviours from the point they decide to visit Dartmoor right the way through to the point that they leave. This will require a mix of good communications, infrastructure and people on the ground to help visitors make the right decisions and to enjoy the National Park responsibly.

“This Plan is about helping everybody enjoy Dartmoor but in ways, and at times and locations that do not cause harm to the special qualities of the National Park and to local communities and crucially to support local businesses as they re-open and are able to welcome people back.

“The sheer number of people and cars and behaviours of a minority of visitors has been challenging to manage, and we expect visitor numbers in 2021 to be high. We are not discouraging visitors but we aim to give them the tools to enjoy the Park and act responsibly. This won’t solve all the problems we have but will respond to new issues and opportunities where we can.

“We aim to encourage and welcome visitors but ask them to plan ahead and give them the information they need to have a nice visit and use the National Park in a responsible way.”

View From Haytor on Dartmoor last weekend (Image Daniel Clark)

The meeting heard that a visitor survey showed that 22 per cent of people who visited Dartmoor last summer were first time users, with members heating that new visitors from a potentially more diverse socio-economic base is a positive outcome, both for the individuals who have ‘discovered Dartmoor’ and for the place, particularly if we can engage with those visitors and encourage a deeper connection with Dartmoor.

But it heard that some of the issues that the extra visitors to the Moor caused included camping in the wrong location in large groups and associated damage caused by fires, litter and human waste, motorhomes parking overnight on roadsides, inappropriate parking, off-road cycling where there is no legal right to do so, and threatening behaviour to officers of the Authority.

Two Bridges and Wistman’s Wood, Bellever/Riddon Ridge, Foggingtor Quarry, Roborough Down, Shipley Bridge, the Dart Valley and all river and reservoir sites were named as the sites that were particularly challenging during 2020.

LESSONS LEARNED DURING 2020

Bellever /Riddon Ridge

The Authority implemented restrictions under the Dartmoor Commons Act 1985 to ban camping for 28 days at Bellever/Riddon Ridge because of the level of camping and associated damage to the fabric of the common, including concerns about the impact on archaeology, grazing animals and ecology.

The resources required to implement this were significant, both in officer time and finance and Dartmoor contracted with a private security firm for the provision of National Park Marshalls to help engage and educate the public. This proved to be a success because there was a clear need for action and to support the action they took.

Signage

The Park moved away from more educational, softer signage to the larger warning/emergency style yellow signs, with simple but clear advice. These were deployed at car parks and laybys and at heavily used sites – particularly where antisocial behaviour was evident – and feedback has been that these signs were more effective, providing the clear message required for any prosecution under the byelaws.

Traffic management

The worst cases of traffic management were at Foggingtor, Shipley Bridge and Two Bridges but other sites included Hexworthy and Meldon reservoir access road.

Traffic cones at Two Bridges were eventually put in place in September 2020 and have proved successful in managing dangerous parking on the road.

A programme of verge treatment for Two Bridges, Shipley Bridge, Meldon and Foggingtor to better manage the parking and reduce impact on verges has been started.

Off-Road Cycling

An issue in some areas, but something that is of growing concern amongst Rangers, the meeting heard. Full erosion surveys at a number of areas where they have been notified of damage –  Haytor, Roborough Down and the Warren House – are being carried out, in order tofocus future erosion budgets more effectively.

Outreach Vehicle and Visitor Survey

In response to the high levels of use and issues being reported by Rangers and communities, the outreach vehicle operated at weekends with a focus on busy sites.

Dartmoor took the opportunity to undertake visitor surveys and this work has been supported by Voluntary Wardens, while regular visits were also made to Two Bridges, Foggingtor and Shipley Bridge as well as Bellever.

Mrs Kohler said: “Although a small sample, it is a useful insight to help with management; we found that 22 per cent of our visitors were first time visitors, 36 per cent said that Covid restrictions had influenced their reason to visit, there was an increase in younger visitors with over 26 per cent being under 35, compared to 13 per cent in our last survey. The survey has also revealed that many visitors are using Google maps and social media platforms to find out where to go and specifically where to park.”

PREPARTION FOR 2021 VISITOR SEASON

Friday’s Authority meeting heard that a visitor management plan for 2021 would focus on communicating key messages, providing a warm welcome, managing traffic flows and parking, and limiting damaging activity.

Mrs Kohler said: “We are aware that we will need to influence people’s decisions and behaviours from the point they decide to visit Dartmoor right the way through to the point that they leave. It will require good pre-visit information; continued real-time information as they make their journey and clear signage and advice once they arrive.

“This will require a mix of good communications, infrastructure and people on the ground to help visitors make the right decisions and to enjoy the National Park responsibly. This Plan is about helping everybody enjoy Dartmoor but in ways, and at times and locations that do not cause harm to the special qualities of the National Park and to local communities and crucially to support local businesses as they re-open and are able to welcome people back.”

She added: “We all agree that the tone should be warm and friendly – we want people to come back and enjoy the National Park, and we want to thank those who are doing the right thing and those who want to. The messaging needs to reflect the unique special qualities of the National Park and why it is important to protect them.

“We are aiming to get a stronger and longer presence on the ground to support our Ranger team; helping to provide a welcome to the National Park, engaging people to enjoy the National Park responsibly and promoting key messages but also being willing and able to enforce against anti-social behaviour where necessary. This will be supplemented by a range of self-guided walks which the team will be able to promote and give away.

“We are asking our Voluntary Wardens to help us with this work alongside the outreach vehicle and Dartmoor Marshalls. Staff, Volunteers and Marshalls will be deployed at the times and sites to be finalised with our partners to ensure that we focus resources where they are most needed, but it is our intention to have a strong presence at weekends.

“Although we want to welcome everybody, we also need to be able to take strong action when needed. We are working through the Dartmoor Rural Crime Initiative to secure some dedicated Special Constables for Dartmoor and we are hoping that these will be available to help us over the coming season, providing Police support to Rangers and Marshalls.”

Managing Traffic Flows and Parking

In the review of the National Park Management Plan, they recognise the need to provide a longer term more sustainable solution to this increasing problem, but the meeting heard that this will not solve the potential issues we face this summer.

Mrs Kohler added: “We are therefore focusing our efforts in 2021 on initiatives to influencing peoples travel decisions before they arrive in the National Park.”

These include providing more detailed information for Google maps which includes size of car park and busy times to help visitors plan their trip, better mapping on our own website showing car park sites and capacity, and working with Devon County Council’s Highways Operations Centre and local radio stations to promote real time information on traffic flows and car park capacity so that people can avoid busy times.

They will also implement real time VMS roadside signage at Bovey Tracey and Yelverton, utilising technology and techniques used to manage visitors in urban areas, which will advise of real time traffic delays and car parking capacity.

Dartmoor National Park will continue to implement physical verge treatments at the worst sites to protect the fabric of the national park, with work planned and implementation started at Shipley Bridge, Two Bridges, Riddon Ridge, Newbridge and Meldon.

They are also still hopeful that a longer term solution for Two Bridges will be found through the implementation and enforcement of double yellow lines, but are still awaiting confirmation from Devon County Council on the feasibility of this.

And the meeting heard that they were considering how and where pop-up campsites or car parks may be appropriate to help provide capacity at busy locations at peak times, but they have not yet been able to identify agreed locations.

Limiting Damaging Activity

Rather than focus on a formal restriction, officers are looking to consider use of voluntary restrictions asking people to help us look after Dartmoor by restricting an activity or not visiting a certain place which links closely to our proposed tone and messaging for the coming season.

Haytor Car Park on Dartmoor last Summer (Image Daniel Clark)

Wistman’s Wood

The stunning Wistman’s Wood remains one of the moor’s most unspoiled areas, and its moss-covered trees and dwarf oak trees are thought to resemble what Dartmoor looked like as far back as 7000BC.

The wood was given protection as a site of special scientific interest in 1964 and is managed by Natural England.

But it has become a ‘mecca’ for people looking to get out and about during lockdown and that is causing severe damage to the area, and rubbish has been left, while lichen – which takes centuries to grow – is being stripped from trees for ‘hanging baskets’.

Mrs Kohler’s report added: “Site visits, feedback from the local community, and anecdotal evidence suggests that visitor numbers are increasing and are more varied. Although greater number of visitors in itself is not a major problem sheer numbers of people scrambling through the wood is impacting on the mosses and lichens.

“Although this is not widespread across the site it is of concern, and it needs to be deterred and monitored. Some activities such as ‘Moss Art’ have started to appear on social media, this is of concern and could cause major damage if the activity becomes normalised and spreads across social media.

“Parking is a major issue along the road, causing concerns from local residents and a call for parking restrictions in the interest of road safety, and there appear to be more cases of people camping on the land and having fires. The path to Wistman’s Wood is eroding and restoration work to improve resilience has started. More litter is being left on the path including beer bottles.”

She added: “There is an increasing concern about disturbance to the local residents and they express a growing concern. The residents have been eyes and ears, frequently reporting evidence of misuse, including people cycling on the footpath.

“It is the view of partners that people do not go to the site with the intention of causing damage. They have heard that it is interesting place to go and some have travelled internationally with Wistman’s included in their list of ‘must see’ sites.

“We do not want to stop people coming to the site, but we do need to qualify numbers as far as is possible, so that they are commensurate with the nature of the site and the access provision provided, particularly given the limitation on car parking. We also need to engage with visitors to reduce and remove damaging activities.”

To tackle the issues, a new information board will be on site by Easter at the car park, with the key messages being to advise visitors to tread lightly though the ancient valley, to do not walk through the wood or scramble across the rocky boulders and this will destroy the lichens and mosses, not to light fires, and leave your BBQ’s at home, and that wild camping is not allowed anywhere in this area.

A new people counter will be placed on the path in March to provide real time information and will help Dartmoor better understand busy times so that they can allocate resources, while on site engagement officers will be a crucial element of the plan for this summer.

Mrs Kohler said: “We aim to deploy staff and volunteers on site to talk to visitors, share how precious and vulnerable the site is and promote good behaviour. We will deliver this through a mix of Dartmoor Marshalls, Volunteers and the Outreach Assistant and we are hoping to get a presence on site from 10am to 3pm at weekends and then evening patrols at weekends.

“If we continue to see levels and type of use that is damaging to the fabric of the NNR, we will apply a Voluntary Exclusion Area and ask people to give the site a rest. As a last resort we could consider a restriction under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act.”

She added: “Officers do not expect that the plan we have put in place will solve all of our problems, but we are aiming to use the tools we have, to work more effectively with partners and respond to new issues and opportunities where we can.

“We aim to engage and welcome our visitors this year encouraging them to plan ahead, considering time and place, and for those less confident about where to go and what to do, we aim to provide better information and advice.

“There is very little external funding to support visitor management activity and yet we see the fabric of the moor being damaged, not deliberately, but by high levels of use all year round; verges, car parks, access routes and public rights of way are all suffering.”

Philip Sanders, said: “I want people to come to Dartmoor and have a good experience, and not get in a traffic jam or an RTC people have parked on a blind bend, and I want the business on Dartmoor to thrive so important we don’t stop them from coming.

“We need a presence on social media to temper expectations and at the same time put across messages. We don’t want to be prohibitive, but we need to be saying, if you can avoid this, it helps.”

Dr Kevin Bishop, Dartmoor National Park Chief Executive - file picture (Image Dartmoor National Park - free to use by all LDRS partners)

The meeting saw the National Park Authority agree to note the Visitor Management Plan, as well as agreeing to the 2021/22 business plan, as well as setting their budget for the upcoming year – albeit without having actually been told by DEFRA what their National Park grant will be – a fact that left committee members ‘wanting to rant to someone’.

The budget includes £40,000 from reserves being used to help fund the visitor marshal scheme, as well as the increase in car parking charges that had been agreed in March 2020, but had not been implemented due to the coronavirus pandemic, which will see half-day parking rise from £1 to £2, and all day parking from £2 to £3.

Donna Healy, Dartmoor’s chief financial officer, said that they are expecting a ‘flat cash’ settlement from Defra, but if the figure is lower, then they will either have to use more reserves or reduce their work programme in order to balance the budget.

She added: “For 2021/22, we are in limbo until we know the future of our long-term funding. The use of our reserve balances is an appropriate mechanism for bridging the gap until the future is clearer, and he outcome may prove to be much better than the bleak scenarios painted here, but if we are forced to respond to cuts, no one should be in any doubt that this may significantly affect our ability to deliver current Authority and Management Plan objectives.”

On keeping the fees and charges unchanged, she said: “When setting fees and charges we consider the implications for public access to services and the impact on the local economy. Consideration is given to proactively engaging those who may not otherwise access Dartmoor, being mindful of potential barriers and balancing the need to generate income and maintaining budgets that are flexible and responsive to the needs of service users.

“Many people have lost their jobs during the pandemic and many businesses are at risk of collapse, and encouraging the public to visit Dartmoor and spend their money in our local economy is more important than ever.”

Mark Renders said that the lack of clarity over the settlement left him so frustrated. He asked: “Who do we moan to, as how can you run anything when you don’t know what we are getting?”

Catherine Pannell said that it was three weeks from new financial year and yet we are left in limbo, but Naomi Oakley said that Dartmoor sadly didn’t really have any power to do anything about the delay in funding from Defra, saying: “What are we going to do, close the National Park?”

Dr Kevin Bishop, the chief executive for the National Park, added: “Defra have a legal obligation to give us the settlement before the end of the financial year. We have told them of the importance of getting it early so we can do rigorous budget planning.

“The person to moan to is the Secretary of State for Environment but I am not convincing moaning will get us anywhere.”

And on the business plan, which the committee agreed, Dr Bishop added: “The draft Business Plan is ambitious, with a blend of key actions that will deliver management and enhancement of the environment, opportunities for people to get engaged and promote the enjoyment and understanding of Dartmoor’s special qualities.

“These actions will help support the Dartmoor economy and the communities that live within the National Park.

“The draft Business Plan for 2021/22 is structured around the five priorities identified. They are Better for Nature, Better for Cultural Heritage, Better for Farming and Forestry, Better for People and Better for Communities and Business.

“The draft Business Plan also identifies a sixth priority – ‘Be an excellent organisation’ – which reflects our desire to be an effective organisation providing an excellent level of service. This priority also reflects our aim to be a carbon neutral organisation by 2025.”