The moorlands of Exmoor National Park have been created and maintained over thousands of years by traditional land management practices, particularly grazing by livestock and ‘swaling’ (controlled burning). However with changing markets and diminishing agricultural support, farmers are increasingly abandoning the moorland, leading to a decline in grazing levels and increase in bracken, gorse and scrub at the expense of the moors’ open character. In addition, changing lifestyles have resulted in local communities weakening their traditional links to the moorland, including fewer young people choosing to work in land management industries such as farming.
A study produced by LUC for the Exmoor Society in 2004 — “Moorlands at a Crossroads - The State of the Moorlands of Exmoor” — made a number of recommendations principally associated with the management of the moors. This formed the stimulus behind the National Park Authority’s subsequent decision to bring together a partnership of national and local organisations to prepare an application to the Heritage Lottery Fund for support under its Landscape Partnership grant programme. The Partnership included English Heritage, Environment Agency, Exmoor Society, Exmoor Trust, Field Studies Council, The National Trust, National Farmers Union Natural England, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and West Somerset Community College - with Exmoor National Park Authority acting as Lead Partner.
The Partnership secured a Project Planning Grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and commissioned LUC to prepare the Access, Audience Development and Training Plans for the bid. These plans helped secure a grant of £501,000 from the Fund plus additional match-funding from a range of other bodies for a £863,700 programme of 20 different projects over three years. There are three specific Programmes in the Scheme:
1. To encourage more people to access, understand and enjoy Exmoor’s moorlands. This includes projects to improve access for people with disabilities; and to provide more opportunities for schools, colleges and volunteers to be involved in visiting, studying and recording the history and wildlife of moorlands.2. To employ three local people to act as part-time ‘moorkeepers’; to help moorland managers work together; provide moorland apprenticeships for three local young people as well as implement a training programme and range of moorland management demonstration events.3. To help moorland managers to tackle eyesores and other problems; to fund conservation work at moorland archaeological sites and to help Exmoor pony owners and support this iconic native breed.
A Scheme Manager, a Moorland Education Officer and a part-time Moorland Heritage Officer have been appointed to help the Partners deliver the Scheme.
