Talk: Nature recovery on Dartmoor: is it too late? with Richard Drysdale (Dartmoor National Park) , Tracy May (Dartmoor Commoners Council), Lisa Schneidau (Dartmoor Nature Alliance). Chair: Sophie Pavelle
Sunday 3rd May, 12:30, Ashburton Arts Centre
Dartmoor’s precious natural environment is under threat: the bogs are drying out, purple moor grass is running riot, and gorse and bracken are encroaching. So how do we ensure that Nature has a future on Dartmoor? Farmers, conservationists, Government agencies and the public all have a role to play; come and hear some key figures discuss how we can work together going forward.
Richard Drysdale is Director of Conservation and Communities for Dartmoor National Park Authority. Whilst not a local to Dartmoor, Richard has lived and worked on Dartmoor for nearly 20 years and has a deep passion for all things Dartmoor. In his role Richard chairs or sits on a number of groups and more recently been actively engaged in the backpack camping court challenge and the byelaw review.
Tracy May Tracy May is the chair of the Dartmoor Commoners’ Council. She has been farming near Lydford for 44 years keeping both cattle and sheep. She has Common Rights and grazes sheep on Lydford Common. She is the Administrator for the Higher Level Stewardship agreement on both Lydford Common and the Forest of Dartmoor, is part of the team developing the Central Dartmoor Landscape Recovery Project and also sits on the Dartmoor Land Use Management Group. She has 25 years experience working with Commoners, Common Owners, Natural England and other stakeholders on Dartmoor.
Lisa Schneidau is a storyteller, author and environmentalist based in Devon. She works with creative storytelling to enable better connection with nature and landscape, and is the author of four acclaimed books of folk tales. Lisa trained as an ecologist and has worked in the nature conservation sector for 25 years across the UK, in roles including farm advisor, river surveyor, political lobbyist and conservation director. Lisa is a founder member of the Dartmoor Nature Alliance.
Sophie Pavelle is a science communicator from Devon. She is the author of the Wainwright long-listed books, Forget Me Not and To Have or To Hold, and through her Ambassadorship with the Wildlife Trusts and varied experience in the conservation/rewilding/outdoor sector she advocates a holistic, urgent approach to nature restoration that thrives on connection, education and storytelling.
TICKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE HERE
Photo: Tracey May, Sophie Pavelle, Richard Drysdale, Lisa Schneidau