Dartmoor's wet valleys

Thank you for helping us to conserve Dartmoor's rare wet valleys to bring back some of Europe's most endangered butterfly, bird and insect species from the brink. Marsh fritillary butterflies, Narrow-bordered Bee-hawk moth, Willow tit and the Dartmoor endemic Bog Hoverfly will all benefit from your donations that have helped traditional systems of conservation grazing by Dartmoor ponies and hardy breeds to save areas of traditional rhôs pasture and enhance wet woodland and scrub.

Dartmoor's wildflower meadows

An astonishing 97% of wildflower meadows disappeared from the UK's landscape since the 1930s. Dartmoor is one of a small number of uplands where clusters of wildflower meadows are still found. With your donations, we helped to bring back traditional hay meadow cutting and grazing systems and support upland farmers to harvest and distribute flower-rich meadow seed to re-create hay meadows across Dartmoor.

Nun's Cross Path, Princetown

There are 450 miles of footpaths and bridleways across the National Park and this project is improving access along a well-used route across a spectacular area of high moorland from Princetown to Eylesbarrow. We are carrying out path repairs and improvements   along with moorland restoration works to limit erosion.

Work has progressed well thanks to Donate for Dartmoor and Mend Our Mountains donations. In places, the path had widened up to seven meters and work has been done to restore the sensitive moorland habitat. As a guide it costs £30 - 40 per linear metre to repair upland paths and restore moorland at the edges. The estimated total cost of this project is around £200,000!

Once complete, Nun's Cross Path will provide a 20km circular, high quality, sustainable walking and cycling route from Princetown, boosting tourism and the local economy.

Please help us finish restoring this important path. Just £5 can help!

House Martin nests

This project was launched by Devon Birds and supported by Donate for Dartmoor, and partner organisations in response to the continued national decline in this summer visitor. Dartmoor still supports good numbers of house martins but we need to understand why they nest where they do - is it the availability of suitable building nest sites? Perhaps the nearby presence of insect-rich habitats such as hay meadows over which the birds feed? This information is being used to raise awareness on Dartmoor and may help others to understand and stop the national decline.

In 2016 nest surveys were coordinated in six Dartmoor parishes. Talks, guided walks and conservation activities were run over the spring and summer months. Over 90 nesting records were submitted. Sixty artificial nest were given away in raffles. The project continued into 2017.

Dormice boxes

Dartmoor provides a home for a range of wildlife, and is also an important stronghold for some declining and threatened species. Donations have helped protect dormice habitats and given us a clearer understanding of them.