Dartmoor Training Area
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Integrated Land Management Plan (ILMP)
Environmental
Management
System
(EMS)
Integrated Land Management Plan (ILMP)
Dartmoor Training Area Detailed Aims and Objectives:
Estate Management
Aim
MOD seeks to provide the Armed Forces with an estate of the right size and quality, managed and developed effectively in line with acknowledged best practice, and is sensitive to social and environmental considerations.
Objective EM 1:
To ensure that an estate of the right size and quality is available to
support the delivery of the military objectives.
Background and Management Implications
DTA extends to some 13,000ha, of which the MOD owns freehold 1,354ha. To ensure military training can take place, appropriate rights have to be acquired from landowners and commoners and necessary permissions obtained from appropriate authorities.
Ensure leases and licences are in place with landowners allowing training to take place. In addition ensure agreements are made with commoners to ensure their adherence to military byelaws and, where appropriate, that their livestock can be moved or disturbed.
Performance Indicator
Allocated military training can take place.
Objective EM 2:
To manage and develop the estate effectively and efficiently in line
with acknowledged best practice and sensitive to social and environmental
considerations.
Background and Management Implications
To allow military training to develop with changes in weapons systems, tactics and training methods permissions have to be obtained from appropriate authorities.
Ensure, where appropriate, that planning consultations are undertaken with Dartmoor National Park Authority and any conditions complied with. Ensure that appropriate assents from Natural England are in place so that potentially damaging operations can be carried out within the North Dartmoor SSSI.
Performance Indicator
Appropriate consultations completed in respect of all training and training area developments.
Objective EM 3:
To encourage sustainable agricultural systems in support of
public benefits across DTA.
Background and Management Implications
The Dartmoor landscape relies heavily upon a viable livestock system to sustain the habitats and species found across the moor. It is these same landscape values and working landscape that contribute to providing the ideal requirements for military training. DTE will continue to support and work closely with the Commoners Associations and Agricultural Tenants to ensure that viable and sustainable livestock systems can be maintained across the Training Areas.
Performance Indicator
Presence of viable livestock systems.
Objective EM 4:
To ensure that wherever possible, clearance of livestock supports
both live firing and the delivery of Environmentally Sensitive Area
Scheme objectives.
Background and Management Implications
As the Dartmoor Commons entered into Defra Environmentally Sensitive Area schemes, the Commoners signed up to deliver environmental improvements. Typically these will be achieved by the variation of grazing custom and practice.
It is possible that MOD stock clearance/disturbance may disrupt the delivery of ESA objectives, therefore it is important that DTA staff agree clearance patterns with the Commoners Associations and Natural England staff. MOD will aim to move stock as little as possible unless where specific stock movements are required to meet conservation objectives.
Performance Indicator
ESA objectives are not compromised by livestock clearances from Range Danger Areas.
