Posts Tagged ‘volunteers’
Traditional 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 MoreHound Tor 2 Clearance Work
Over the last 3 years, DPA Conservation Volunteers have been working to clear invasive bracken from archeological features at the Hound Tor 2 site. Although less well known than the Medieval Village, this area (340m NW of the Medieval Village – grid reference about SX745790) offers some fascinating insights into the lives and farming practices…
Read MoreMusings on 20 Years Working with the DPA
I have called upon the services and skills of the DPA for over 20 years now in my role as an archaeologist for both the National Park and Historic England. In that time volunteers have expertly repaired, rebuilt, strimmed, cut and cleared a multitude of archaeological sites and features, helping to improve their condition and…
Read MoreCelebrating Volunteer Week
To mark #volunteerweek 2025 we spoke to some of our dedicated DPA Conservation Volunteers and asked them why volunteering was so important. Sylvia Hamilton, volunteer workday co-ordinator, told us: ‘I enjoy being active and outdoors. As a young child, I was introduced to Dartmoor and given a curiosity for the natural world. Conservation Volunteering seemed…
Read MoreDPA Conservation Volunteers: Making a Positive Impact on Dartmoor
Founded in 1883, the DPA is the oldest and one of the largest conservation groups on Dartmoor. We have an active team of conservation volunteers who put in an over 1500 hours worth of work on the moor each year, both on DPA land and locations belonging to other landowners. The core of the DPAs…
Read MoreCaring for Princetown Churchyard
Dartmoor Prison was built between 1803 and 1815 to house prisoners of war captured in the Napoleonic Wars. After 1812, the prison also housed American prisoners captured in the Anglo-American War of 1812-1815. The construction of the church began in 1812, and it was built by French and American prisoners. This makes St Michael and…
Read MorePRESERVING DRAKE’S LEAT
Our conservation volunteers have worked to clear the historic Plymouth leat, and the sheep certainly seem to appreciate their efforts! Also known as Drake’s leat, Plymouth leat was built in the late 16th century to redirect some of the water from the river Meavy. This water was then used to supply homes and industry in…
Read MoreBracken cutting at Pudsham
Our conservation volunteers recently spent the day cutting bracken at Pudsham Meadows. It is important to check the growth of bracken, as it can grow so vigorously that it smothers other plants and reduces the variety of vegetation. Pudsham Meadows is managed for biodiversity, part of which includes cutting back the bracken so that slower…
Read More