Sustainability Pledge

We’re committed to being as sustainable as possible. We encourage visitors to make their visit sustainable too.

With grateful thanks to Tia Bennett, Environmental Science student at Plymouth Uni and Marcus Bailey, Co-owner at The Cottages at Blackadon Farm for their hard work in creating the content for this page. We very much appreciate it!

“Visit Dartmoor, visitors, residents and businesses on the national park are important stewards for this special part of the world. As a small business on Dartmoor that brings visitors here throughout the year, The Cottages at Blackadon Farm is delighted to champion sustainability and encourage others to be green. It has been a pleasure working with Visit Dartmoor to accelerate their sustainability agenda – we firmly believe they are setting the standard for others in their field to follow.” Marcus Bailey, Co-owner The Cottages at Blackadon Farm, Dartmoor.

“From beautiful heritage sights, diverse habitats for wildlife and breath-taking scenery, Dartmoor National Park really has it all! Dartmoor is a very important ecosystem for past, present and future generations to use and enjoy, therefore conserving the landscape and wildlife is essential. Visit Dartmoor have shown their love for national park through their work and drive to become a sustainable organisation and their encouragement and education of visitors and businesses to do so as well. They really are ahead of the curve!” Tia Bennett

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Section 1: Visit Dartmoor Sustainability Pledge

Visit Dartmoor is the Official Tourism Partner to Dartmoor National Park Authority and the Destination Marketing Organisation for Dartmoor.

We are committed to helping:

  • tourists enjoy Dartmoor responsibly
  • our members be more sustainable and benefit from region’s vital tourism economy

Visit Dartmoor leads by example and embraces sustainability initiatives that demonstrate stewardship for Dartmoor and green operating credentials.

Here’s some info on things we’re doing to be more sustainable:

1. Biodiversity and heritage

Using social media, website, media tours, press releases and members to explain local moorland ecology and history.

2. Local purchasing and experiences

Promote use of local food, drink and tourism experiences that are produced on Dartmoor.

3. Transportation and accessibility

Work with partners, such as The Dartmoor Way, GWR and members to highlight ways to enjoy Dartmoor using public transport and low carbon methods such as cycling and walking.

4. Education

Facilitate access to the Green Tourism scheme and annual green related workshops for members.

Work with the National Park Authority to promote ranger programmes, volunteering, and responsible tourism.

5. Use of our own resources

Encourage greater use of www.visitdartmoor.co.uk, allowing us to reduce printed tourist brochures by 75%

Section 2: Making your Visit Sustainable

Dartmoor is special and we’d like you to help preserve it for generations to come.

The climate on Dartmoor is often wet, foggy, windy, and cold, however in recent years there has been new weather extremes of wetness, droughts, and heat (Dartmoor National Park, 2022). Dartmoor experiences such extreme weather conditions compared to the rest of Devon due to the high altitudes and exposure of the upper moorland, leading to high volumes of relief rainfall.  There are 8 reservoirs located on the moor, making it South West Water’s most important water source.

90% of the land on Dartmoor is used for farming (Dartmoor National Park, 2022).

Dartmoor Local and Global Importance

This table highlighting Dartmoor’s environmental, social, and economic importance.  

Economic

Tourism (supports local businesses).

Valuable farmland (exporting produce nationally and globally).

Social

Education of vulnerable habitats and species.

Keeps communities connected through conservation efforts.

Environment

Globally importance of peatbogs for carbon sequestration.

Home to rare plant and animal species (Blue Ground Beetles, Cuckoo, Otter).

International importance of blanket bogs, upland heaths, oak woods and gave systems.

Economic

Social

Environment

Tourism (supports local businesses).

Education of vulnerable habitats and species.

Globally importance of peatbogs for carbon sequestration.

Valuable farmland (exporting produce nationally and globally).

Keeps communities connected through conservation efforts.

Home to rare plant and animal species (Blue Ground Beetles, Cuckoo, Otter).

Good for visitor health and mental wellbeing.

International importance of blanket bogs, upland heaths, oak woods and gave systems.

Home to 34,500 residents.

More information on rare and endangered species on Dartmoor can be found here: www.dartmoor.gov.uk/wildlife-and-heritage/wildlife/dartmoors-little-five

More information on environmental importance of Dartmoor habitats can be found here: www.yourdartmoor.org/the-plan/better-for-nature

Things to be aware of

Dartmoor faces many challenges throughout the year, including:

  • Wildfires (caused through BBQ’s, campfires).
  • Camping outside of designated camping zones.
  • Climate change.
  • Parking outside of designated areas.
  • Swaling- controlled burning of moorland. This takes place to clear overgrown vegetation which restricts public access or farmland. Overgrown vegetation can lead to wildfires in the summer months. However, burning can become out of control and destroys fragile environments that house rare or endangered species of flora or fauna (Dartmoor National Park, 2017).

If you’d like to know more about how to protect Dartmoor, please follow the link to the Countryside Code:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1052574/Countryside_Code_A5.pdf

To check camping regulations, please follow:

www.dartmoor.gov.uk/enjoy-dartmoor/outdoor-activities/camping

Volunteering Opportunities for Visitors

There are plenty of volunteering opportunities on Dartmoor. Why not get involved with your friends, family, community and colleagues?

Low-carbon travel

Alternative travel can be found in the travel section of the visit Dartmoor website: www.visitdartmoor.co.uk/key-information/travel-information

It is important to travel to and around Dartmoor using alternative travel methods where possible to reduce pollution and the effects of climate change.

Train

  • The train from London Paddington to Plymouth runs 17 times per day on weekdays, the closest stations to the park being: Exeter, Newton Abbot, Totnes, Ivybridge and Plymouth, bus connections from these stations can also be found on the website: /key-information/train-and-bus-connections.

  • The Dartmoor Line- first line to be reinstated under the Department of Transport’s ‘Restoring the Railway’ initiative. The line connects, Exeter St David’s, Crediton and Okehampton, opening Dartmoor to more visitors. More information here: visitdartmoor.co.uk/the-dartmoor-line.

Bus

Cycling

Walking

Accessibility

Having accessible routes is important for allowing everyone to enjoy Dartmoor National Park.

For more information on accessible activities to do on Dartmoor, visit:

Restaurants and pubs – visitdartmoor.co.uk/things-to-do/accessibility-info/accessible-places-to-eat.

Accessible Places to Visit – visitdartmoor.co.uk/things-to-do/accessibility-info/accessible-days-out.

Accessible accommodation – visitdartmoor.co.uk/things-to-do/accessibility-info/accessible-accommodation.

Sustainable Dartmoor Businesses

Buying local is very important for sustainability as it increases the economic stability of the local area, giving jobs to local people and keeping Dartmoor communities (often small and isolated) afloat so people can continue to live in this area.

Shopping locally lowers CO2 emissions substantially in comparison to shopping at a chain store. Products don’t need to be imported and are sourced locally, produced locally, and distributed locally. Local farmers often avoid using tonnes of pesticides as its costly and less organic, therefore creating less pollution (GOV.UK, 2020).  

It is also important for the heritage of Dartmoor and offers visitors a unique and friendly shopping experience, especially for visitors wishing to experience a slice of life on Dartmoor. Dartmoor communities offer personality and character which is shown through their products (Small Business, 2018).

Why shopping locally is better for the environment:

  • Reduced food miles
  • More accessible (also less traffic traveling to large out of town malls or supermarkets).
  • Fresher produce (food doesn’t have to travel as far, so reaches consumers faster).
  • Protects local land and wildlife (local farms, less land developments to change the landscape for supermarkets etc).
  • Local workforce (people can walk or cycle to work).

Visit Dartmoor has an excellent page on this : visitdartmoor.co.uk/buy-local

We Are Dartmoor website is also a good tool to use to find anything you wish to buy locally: wearedartmoor.co.uk

Green Tourism Business Scheme

Green Tourism (Green Tourism Business Scheme) is a national grading scheme in the UK that businesses can join to become more sustainable or receive certification for how sustainable their business is. Businesses are qualified by environmental assessors (which we used to create our new sustainability pledge) and has many benefits for businesses such as publicity, increased visitors, reduced running costs and much more.

To find out more about Green Tourism, follow: www.green-tourism.com/pages/home.

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