Dartmoor Training Area
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Defence Estate Strategy
The defence estate is held by the Government solely to satisfy the essential operational and training needs of the Armed Forces. Covering some 221,005 hectares (546,114 acres), the Ministry of Defence is one of the largest land users in the United Kingdom.
The Ministry of Defence recognises its responsibility to care for the land it holds for defence purposes. Good stewardship is always to the fore, and environmental and conservation considerations are integral to its estate management. This is particularly evident where Ministry of Defence land has been left in its natural state, unaffected by intensive agriculture or other uses detrimental to the indigenous flora and fauna.
The Ministry of Defence’s sustainable development strategies pledge to:
- Place sustainable development at the heart of decision-making. The Department contributes significantly to the delivery of the Sustainable Development in Government strategies, particularly in estate management and active promotion of access to defence land where possible.
- Provide
an estate of the right size and quality, which is managed and developed
effectively in line with acknowledged best practice and is sensitive
to social and environmental considerations.
