With a new volunteer workday leader at the helm, DPA Conservation Volunteers have expanded their work on Drake’s Leat, where it crosses Roborough Common. Stephen Barrow has years of experience leading butterfly workdays on Roborough Common, during which bracken and self-seeded saplings are controlled to maintain habitat for rare fritillary butterflies, and he now brings his skills to the care of Drake’s Leat.
During our most recent workday, on the 24th of September, 10 volunteers worked to clear approximately 45m of dense, overgrown gorse from the sides and channel of the leat. Thanks to their hard work, a whole new section of the leat, which hadn’t seen sunlight for many years, has now been opened up. This cleared section will provide additional grazing space for animals, which will help to keep regrowth in check, and walkers will be able to enjoy seeing more of this fascinating piece of archaeology.
Drake’s Leat holds significant historical and cultural value. Built in the late 16th century by Sir Francis Drake, this impressive watercourse served as a critical water supply system for the city of Plymouth. Today, it stands as a testament to the region’s rich heritage and a cherished natural asset for locals and visitors alike. However, the maintenance and preservation of this historical landmark require consistent efforts, making the involvement of passionate volunteers invaluable.
The newly cleared section, which can be found 350m North of Little Down Lane, will require further cuts in the future to maintain openness, but each time the gorse is trimmed back it will return with less vigour. Autumn and winter workdays will focus on extending this clearance with each visit, until the whole 250m overgrown section of the leat has been uncovered. We’re grateful for the dedication and skill of our Conservation Volunteers, who carry out this vital work with such enthusiasm, preserving Dartmoor’s unique heritage for future generations to enjoy and learn from.
Gorse is a native Dartmoor plant which has an important role within the moorland ecosystem, which can be seen from the disused blackbird nest found in the thicket, above. However, to maintain a healthy habitat mosaic, it’s important that it does not achieve over dominance. Some grazing by Dartmoor ponies, and the energy sapping action of parasitic Dodder help with this to an extent, but human assistance can be required at sites where gorse is shading out other species.
Our friendly team of volunteers are always delighted to welcome new faces and our workdays run weekly throughout the year. If you’d like to spend time outdoors, make a real difference for Dartmoor and socialise with like-minded individuals, why not join us out on the land. Volunteers are welcomed for whatever amount of days they have spare and all training and equipment is provided. Find our full list of upcoming workdays on our website.
Images: Stephen Barrow