Conservation

For detailsof all of our latest Conservation events please see the Events / Calendar page and click on the event that interests you.

Devonport Leat - before and after conservation work

This article illustrates the "before" and "after" of scrub clearance on Devonport Leat. The work done by the DPA volunteers can have dramatic results .....

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Looking over the parapet of the bridge that carries the road to Chubb Tor across the golf course and over the leat - but where is the leat?

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The same view, after the volunteers of the Conservation Team spent a day clearing scrub: the leat is clear and has walk ways on each bank.

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Devonport Leat - Conservation Project Begins

Written by Keith Ryan

The first work day on this new conservation project.

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Twenty-three volunteers turned out on Fri 2nd September for the first work day on the old Devonport leat where it crosses Roborough Common. We congregated at Clearbrook car park beside Drake's Leat, which supplied old Plymouth. The team walked to the site along the cycle track towards Yelverton, while the tools were driven around by road.

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Conservation at High House Waste

HHW_Interpretation_Board The DPA owns this area of Dartmoor, on the southwest of the Moor, north of Cornwood, centred on grid reference SX610625. There are gates and information boards in both the north and west walls, and stiles on the south and north east (all entrances are shown on the information boards).

The land is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, managed under a Management Plan, grazed stock belonging to a local farmer. Regular work parties have been taking place for the last eight years to carry out various tasks identified in the management plan, to help maintain biodiversity, conserve the archaeology and also to facilitate access.

HHW_Fire_Break Winter work mostly concentrates on clearing gorse, but we also repair gates and monitor the trees and other aspects of the area. In summer, we control the bracken around the post medieval farmstead. Conservation days are generally the first Sunday of the month - see the diary. For more information please contact the DPA office or the co-ordinator of the workdays, Val Barns, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

All volunteers are very welcome.

Further information about High House Waste is available here.

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Bracken - the hidden menace

Anyone who has waded through a sea of vegetation looking for ancient hut circles or a burial cist will be very aware of the way in which bracken hides surface archaeological remains. But bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) does far more damage underground.

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