Wild Justice threatens legal action over Dartmoor grazing

Environmental campaign group Wild Justice is planning a legal challenge against the Dartmoor Commoners’ Council as a way of forcing livestock farmers to reduce stocking rates within the Dartmoor special area of conservation (SAC).

The move follows a lengthy dispute between Natural England and the Dartmoor commoners, with the government agency trying to force a reduction in stocking levels on parts of the moor by resetting Higher Level Stewardship agreements.

See also: Natural England offers one-year HLS rollover for Dartmoor

These attempts ran into political difficulties last year, culminating in the establishment of an independent inquiry into the management of Dartmoor, under the chairmanship of former Country Land and Business Association president David Fursdon.

His report was published in December 2023 and concluded that, while some of the commons on Dartmoor needed more cattle for conservation grazing, there was also a role for sheep as part of a “tri-species” management model.

In its response in April, Defra agreed that Higher Level Stewardship agreements should be rolled forward into 2025, and promised to set up a land use management group this autumn that will sit for two years and seek to balance the various stakeholder interests.

Judicial review

But Wild Justice wants swifter action and has this week written to the Dartmoor Commoners’ Council as a first step towards a possible judicial review.

According to Wild Justice and its solicitors Leigh Day, the commoners council is the body responsible for managing livestock levels in the Dartmoor SAC.

The letter calls for commoners to be ordered to reduce stock on all sites of special scientific interest (SSSI) making up the SAC, where grazing pressure (particularly from sheep in winter) is a problem “so that their habitats can recover”.

The group cites various regulations which it says the council is failing to respect, adding that “if it fails to send a satisfactory response, Wild Justice will apply for a judicial review”.

In a statement, Wild Justice said: “Dartmoor’s commons are often regarded as a landscape of wild beauty, but the data shows us that they are not in a good state for nature.

“When over 90% of its internationally important protected heaths are in unfavourable condition, and when we know that’s because of grazing pressure, then something has got to change.

“Wild Justice is therefore asking Dartmoor Commoners’ Council to use its power and responsibility correctly to make this change happen.”

Response

Devon farmer Robin Milton, who sits of various commoners’ association within the county and has been closely involved in some of the discussions between Natural England and the Dartmoor commoners, said the proposed action by Wild Justice was “disappointing”.

“This is trying to circumvent the findings of the Fursdon review and is not giving it a chance to achieve what it set out to achieve,” he said. “This additional leverage is not helpful.”

Mr Milton was also concerned that, if it went to judicial review and was successful, it could have longer term implications for Natural England’s ability to manage stocking rates in SSSIs.