Dartmoor Society

We are a member charity that values Dartmoor’s distinctive human story, its farming culture, and its remarkable archaeological landscapes. We recognise the importance of conservation on a landscape scale where ecological, archaeological and cultural matters are dealt with in a thoughtful and integrated manner. We value the written and spoken word, music tradition and innovation. The annual Dartmoor Society awards recognise practical and creative responses to Dartmoor. Our aim is to be an independent voice for those who find Dartmoor a source of livelihood or inspiration.

We organise events for members and the wider public that explore ideas that are central to Dartmoor’s future. These include an annual conference or research lecture and monthly talks, walks and site visits.  More details can be found on the past events page.  Each year we aim to include a visit to a farm or other working environment, as well as to historic buildings, museums and sites of archaeological or ecological interest. 

We are represented on the South West Peatland Partnership and the Dartmoor Cultural Heritage Advisory Group. We are interested in projects such as the  Dartmoor Headwaters Project and all significant works on Dartmoor that impact the landscape. These can be connected with the exploitation of natural resources such as timber or stone, farming practices, management of archaeological sites, wildlife conservation and biodiversity, and initiatives aimed at local communities and visitors. We try to organise our events around such projects so that members can see what is involved for themselves.

We are concerned about the way that the Government supports the farming community and the impacts of grazing on the landscape, the implications of peatland restoration, and the effects that changing legislation can have on public freedoms such as wild camping.  We have a wide range of expertise within our committee and our membership and this practical knowledge feeds into our contributions to partnerships, consultations and management plans.