A new tree nursery will go ahead in Exmoor National Park thanks to funding from Devon Environment Foundation, Devon Community Foundation and donations to CareMoor for Exmoor.

It forms part of ongoing ‘Land Visioning’ work the National Park Authority is leading across its own estate (comprising 7 per cent of the National Park), bringing together key stake holders to propose fresh ways of enhancing the land for nature, climate mitigation, people and cultural heritage. An update on the proposals is due to be given to Members at next month’s Exmoor National Park Authority meeting on 6th April.

Graeme McVittie, Senior Woodlands Officer for Exmoor National Park, said: “The new tree nursery will be an important source of high-quality saplings, derived from seeds gathered locally with the help of communities and volunteers, who will also be offered expert training. Species such as wych elm, aspen, black poplar and whitebeams, can be harder to source from commercial nurseries, so we particularly hope to create a pipeline to increase representation of these distinctive varieties.”

 

A report released ahead of the meeting* details progress on four initial projects set across Exmoor National Park Authority land:

 

 

Rob Wilson-North, Exmoor National Park Authority’s Head of Conservation and Access, said: “The Defra-commissioned Landscapes Review challenged National Parks to do more for nature, and for people. Behind each of these initial projects is our ambition to address the climate emergency and the ecological crisis; to care for Exmoor’s cultural heritage and to ensure that Exmoor continues to provide the beauty and tranquillity that is so vital to people’s health and wellbeing. This is blue skies thinking and we feel the time is right to use our own land to rise to some of the big challenges of our time.”