Posts Tagged ‘Conservation’
Granite Elements Artists visit Pudsham Meadows
In late summer, DPA Ecologist Albert Knott led a guided tour of our land at Pudsham Meadows for local art group, Granite Elements. The idea was to encounter some of the special flora and fauna on site and perhaps inspire an artistic response to these very special hay meadows. To help the visiting artists connect…
Read MoreTending to Venford Mediaeval Farmstead
Venford Mediaeval Farmstead is one of the sites, beyond our own four land holdings, which DPA Conservation Volunteers help to care for. The farmstead is situated South-west of Venford Reservoir and is made up of a longhouse with two outbuildings and an enclosed pound. Our work focused on clearing bracken from the low remains of…
Read MoreImproving Access at High House Waste
High House Waste is the largest land holding owned by the DPA and it requires year round work to care for the special species and important archaeology on site. Thirteen volunteers joined us for our most recent workday, including Cornwood locals and two brand new faces. The team was also joined by our Ecologist, Albert…
Read MoreTraditional Scything at DPA Hay Meadows
The time of year has come for the annual bracken cut at Pudsham Meadows, and our Conservation Volunteers turned out in force to clear the fields of this fast growing plant. We’re keen to retain some bracken at Pudsham Meadows, as it is important for the brreding cycle of Fritillary butterflies, but our aim is…
Read MoreBotanists identify White Beaked Sedge at High House Waste
Botanists from the Devonshire Association Botany Section visited our land holding at High House Waste, in search of White Beaked Sedge. With the latin name of Rhynchospora alba, this uncommon plant can be found in well-established patches at this site, particularly in the southern mire. DPA Ecologist Albert Knott led the group of 13 botanists on…
Read MoreArtist in Residence Captures Conservation Work
Artist Erica Luke has joined the Dartmoor Preservation Association as Artist in Residence. Over the course of a year, she will work with us to deliver the ‘Working the Land, Drawing the Landscape’ project, which includes embedded fieldwork, studio development and then two public exhibitions in Dartmoor and Plymouth. During the first six months of…
Read MoreBracken Bashing at the Mediaeval Farmstead
Summer conservation workdays at High House Waste focus on controlling bracken, which grows extremely quickly and can smother archaeology and out-compete other native plants. Bracken grows up to 3m tall, forming dense stands which block out light to other plants, reducing overall biodiversity. Areas of bracken, as part of a mosaic of habitat, are valuable…
Read MoreSpectacular Swallow-tailed moth recorded at Pudsham Meadows
Following on from the very successful moth survey at Pudsham Meadows in June, with Devon Moth Group, another survey was carried out on the 3rd of July. This was undertaken by DPA Ecologist, Albert Knott, and two additional surveyors, Richard Fox and Mark Hows. All three people have extensive knowledge of moth behaviours and characteristics,…
Read MoreSouth West Lichen Group visit Sharpitor
The DPA were delighted to host the South West Lichen Group for a field meeting on our land holding at Sharpitor. They visited on the 26th of June and were accompanied by our Ecological Consultant, Albert Knott, and Moorland Guide Geri Skeens, who organised the event. The aim was to locate and identify species that…
Read MoreMosaic Habitat Management at Common Wood
Our summer workday at Common Wood had a focus on clearing bracken encroachment for the benefit of Marsh Fritillary butterflies. These threatened butterflies require areas of flower rich wet grassland, called rhos pastures, with a plentiful supply of devil’s-bit scabious, which is the food plant of their caterpillar. One of six fritillary species found on…
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