Royal visit to Dartmoor to learn more preservation project
The duke of Cornwall has today met his tenant farmers and environmental campaigners
Last updated 12th Jun 2025
There's been a Royal visit to Dartmoor today as the Duke of Cornwall unveiled a new landscape vision for the moor on restored peatland.
Duchy tenant farmers David and Justine Colton, alongside South West Peatland Partnership’s Morag Angus, hosted His Royal Highness at Tor Royal Farm - to outline the collaborative effort to restore the landscape.
Restoring nature and tackling global warming are key to keeping Dartmoor "special", the Prince of Wales has said.
The Duchy of Cornwall and Central Dartmoor Landscape Recovery Project (CDLR) launched a new project to "create a resilient environment" and meet the changing needs of Dartmoor's communities.
A spokesperson for the hier to the throne said: "Designed as a 20-year roadmap, the vision outlines a set of guiding principles to inform the future environmental management of the Duchy’s Dartmoor estate.
"Prioritising a holistic approach, these principles address the need for; restoring and enhancing the resilience of the natural landscape; promoting sustainable farming and land use practices through efforts including ecologically led grazing and the prioritisation of native, species-rich grasslands; and, engaging the local community through initiatives like developing a rural skills pool and providing affordable housing for landscape managers and retiring workers. "
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%, 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 will focus on "coordinated public and private investment" to restore peatlands and upland mosaic habitats in the south Devon area.
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.