Exmoor case study

Where is it

 Designated national park in 1954

 Upland moorland covering about 700sq km of west somerset and north Devon in southwest
England.

Why is the area a national park and SSSI

 Wide range of natural habitats (flora and fauna) on Exmoor including heaths, coastal marshes,
ancient woodland and upland peat wetlands.
 Protected areas like SSSI (home to rare species of trees like sessile oaks and birds and insects
including peregrine falcons and merlin and curlew.
 The peat wetlands of upland exmoor are of great ecological importance and contain a range of
habitats and a rich biodiversity.
 They have important roles in maintaining the water quality and act as a carbon sink (helps
reduce c02 concentrations in atmosphere)
 The peat wetlands have preserved archaeological artefacts stretching back 1000 years.

Ecological change

Agriculture-

 Farmers have dug up ditches to drain land in attempt to make it more productive
 Caused peat lands to dry out in places and has become more vulnerable to soil erosion by wind
and water.
 They maintain water quality and sequent carbon from the atmosphere (both diminished) which
altered wetland habitats, biodiversity has also been reduced.
 Exmoor dominated by sheep and cow cattle
 Diversification increased
 -50% of farmers are involved in offsite diversification and 30% on site
 -Associated w tourism- bed and breakfast, camping and farm shops.
 Impact ecology and disturbs wildlife and alters habitats

Tourism-

 2 mill people visit exmoor each year

 Attracted by rich cultural and wildlife heritage as well as recreational activities
 It brings in over 105mill euros to the economy equivalent to 2000 full time jobs (20% of exmoors
entire population)
 Authorities plan to promote tourism to support region economy and to ensure long term
sustainability of exmoor.
 Exmoors ecology affects communities social, economic and political character.
 At honeypot sites, roadsides and car parks, foot path erosion destroys vegetation, leads to soil
erosion and increased rates of runoff.
 Climate change-

 Warmer summers and increase in co2 will increase productivity of commercial woodlands in
exmoor.
 balanced by dry summers and wetter winters and more extreme weather events would
cause stress to some species and increase soil erosion
 Oak, beech and sweet chestnut can tolerate this climate but others like common Adler,
small leaved lime and black walnut may suffer
 Exmoors upper woodlands may contain greater mixture of broadleaf tree species.
 Conifer species will grow well but those like larch will not adapt easily
 Woodland flora affected like lichen community and ground flora
 There will be greater risk of fires and droughts and species will not be able to cope
 In warmer climates nonnative pests and diseases may survive the winters and put
woodlands under further stress.

Responses

Exmoor national park authority

 In 2011 ENPA published a study that contained issues, opportunities, and management
strategies for moorland blocks within the national park.
 They manage, they do not own exmoor
 So they work with private landowners and planning authorities and pressure groups
 It conserves and supports the community's economy (particularly farmers)
 It promotes access of leisure and recreation for the public
 They work with local and national political bodies
 Political cooperation's and collaboration are vital in promoting and supporting the conservation
of exmoor as well as its economy

Dunkery beacon

Dunkery beacon is the highest point in exmoor national park at 519m. Tourism has led to
footpath erosion and unauthorized vehicular damage

The Park is addressing the issue by:

 Reviewing paths and provision of visitor access

 Encouraging management to include swaling (controlled burning) and grazing
 Restoring mire sites by filling ditches to prevent runoff
 Proactively managing the health fritillary
 Controlling and removing gorse, scrub and bracken where it has no ecological value, but
protecting bird breeding areas

Peatland

 A bog or bogland is a wetland that accumulates peat, a deposit of dead plant material
 In cool and wet climates mosses and plant break down and form peat (up to 3m)
 Likely form on gentle waterlogged slopes (poor drainage)
 Form in shallow depressions
 Some 8000 years ago form last glacial period
 Lowland peat formed mostly from sphagnum moss and holds 20 times its own dry weight of
water.
 Peat builds up every year (1mm/year) raising the bog
 Surface of peat is acidic ideal for certain plants (ex. Cranberry)
 Shallow pools ideal breeding ground (dragonfly and damselflies)

Exmoor mires project

 The emp is a management plan that addresses a range of issues associated with
deteriorating peatlands on exmoor
 It launched in 2010 and they conduct scientific research involving mapping, remote sensing
and empirical data collection.
 Emps aim is to restore hydrological function of peatlands.
 It also aims to preserve the landscape and historical information it holds
 2010-2015, 133 ditches were blocked and 139ha of peatland was restored.
 Funding has been secured to enable the project to continue up to 2020