Exmoor’s Precious Woodlands

326-11-48-autumn-beech-3716There are over 9,000 ha of woodlands to be explored on Exmoor (of which Exmoor National Park owns or leases 569 hectares, with the National Trust, the Crown Estate and the Forestry Commission managing much of the rest). The woodlands are scattered across the park, often in deep valleys or along the steep coastal cliffs; many are accessible on public rights of way and include some of the long distance walking routes, such as the Coleridge Way.

Exmoor National Park has a long-term, landscape-scale approach to conservation and access. Each of our woodlands is subject to a management plan, setting out how we can improve the diversity, extent and condition of our most important and valued habitats. This article focuses on our latest work, and introduces the partnerships and initiatives that support these special places.

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View From… Our Volunteer & Outreach Officer

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As part of the variety of views we get as contributions to our blog, we like to include a ‘Day-in-the-Life’ style posts from members of our team. To celebrate the last day of #NationalTreeWeek, our Volunteer and Outreach Officer Patrick Watts-Mabbott is sharing his ‘Night-in-the-Life-of’ role as he searched out Exmoor Fox Fire that keeps the woodlands of Exmoor aglow.

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Access in action: new bridleway through Worth Wood

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Exmoor hosts over 800 miles of local paths of various kinds and donations to CareMoor are a vital means of funding the maintenance and repairs that are needed – repairing and regarding a bridleway can cost £10 per metre. A recent example is the repairs needed for part of the River Barle’s bank at Worth Wood, which were made impassable after flooding caused a landslip.

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View from…. Work Experience Students

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As schools and colleges get their new terms underway, this article reflects on this summer when Exmoor National Park hosted a number of work experience students from schools and colleges in the local region in August. Judging by the feedback received from both students and employees at the National Park, everyone found it a really useful and enjoyable learning experience. The students covered a whole range of activities from checking disused mine sites through learning how to sterilise crayfish to teaching other children about rivers with a working model in a town centre! Continue reading

Dulverton Weir – the best in the UK!

Dulverton weir by Philip Hull

This week’s article is with thanks to Philip Hull of the Dulverton Weir & Leat Conservation Group who shows us one of Exmoor’s hidden gems (as seen in his image above). Dulverton’s ancient weir and leat system has been proclaimed the best remaining in any UK town by a leading academic, who says it is one of the most important examples of its kind in the country. And the reason Dulverton’s medieval weir has been given such an accolade is because of a group of community minded citizens stepped forward to research the historic structure after it was breached by floods three years ago.

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