Project Dates: 31.10.2024 to 31.10.2025

The Dartmoor Nature Alliance (DNA) is a collective of ecologists, landowners, farmers, and park users dedicated to amplifying an independent voice for nature’s recovery on Dartmoor. The initiative focuses on enhancing biodiversity, restoring ecosystems, and promoting sustainable practices to create a resilient environment that supports diverse wildlife.

Building on the success of similar projects, DNA aims to position Dartmoor as a beacon of conservation excellence. By engaging local communities, offering educational workshops, and using creative mediums to inspire action, DNA seeks to ensure the long-term ecological health of Dartmoor.

Key deliverables include:

• Active involvement of local communities through volunteer opportunities, four educational workshops, as well as facilitated public consultation.
• Promotion of sustainable land management practices among local landowners and farmers to ensure the ongoing health of Dartmoor’s ecosystems.
• Curation of a call to action for a nature-rich Dartmoor, articulated through a compelling mixture of words, visual art, music, soundscape and personal story.

 

Image credits: Jill Dimmond  & FocalInsight, Unsplash

IMPACT SUMMARY JULY 2025

Project Activities:

• The project has been set up with a detailed work plan and regular meetings with the team. A clear process for selecting and appointing creatives, and for identifying and contacting workshop participants has been deisnged and implemented.
• Creatives appointed Include:
• Musician: Kimwei McCarthy, a musician and composer from Exeter who recently wrote the ‘Stars are for Everyone’ song for the Dartmoor wild camping campaign.
• Sound artist: Tony Whitehead, a member of the DNA core group, who is an experienced wildlife sound recorder and editor.
• Storyteller / creator for sound feature: Lisa Schneidau, a Dartmoor storyteller experienced in collecting oral histories and local personal stories of place.
• Artist: Alicia Hayden, a young wildlife artist from Bristol, to deliver our visual artwork. 
• Community workshops carried out in Holne Village, Dartmoor, with good turnout, positive feedback and engagement.

 

Project Impact:

• Developing a powerful message for Dartmoor nature recovery by bringing together ‘influential people for nature’ across Dartmoor, including many professionals from organisations, local amateurs and communicators for nature.
• Through engaging with scientists and creatives, the project is building the foundations of a wide reaching communication piece: Dartmoor vision and call to action, in all its forms.