Document library

On this page, we will make available important documents and research, both contemporary and historical, about nature on Dartmoor. We hope this will be a useful resource.

Natural England's Habitat Regulations Assessments for Dartmoor Commons in 2023 and 2025

The following documents were obtained from an Environmental Information Request (EIR2025_08668 ) in October 2025. These were sent in response to this request:

"Please could you let me have all the Habitats Regulations Assessments (HRAs) that have been carried out by Natural England in 2023, 2024, and 2025 (in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 24) for extending Dartmoor Commons Association's HLS agreements (and the associated plans produced by the Associations that the assessments consider, which may be attached to the HRAs?)"

Regulation 24 can be read here.

Click on the button below to be taken to the root folder. Here you will find a folder for each Dartmoor common. In these are two further folders, one for the HRAs done for HLS extensions in 2023, and a second for extensions done in 2025.

Natural Engalnd confirmed that no new HRAs were completed for the remaining 2024 agreement extensions. Instead, Natural England was advised to rely on the conclusions of the 2023 HRAs, along with the letter from the Secretary of State issued in January 2024, to inform recommendations for further extensions in 2024. These recommendations were based on the 2023 HRAs, as there were no significant changes to the agreements that would warrant new assessments.

View HRAs

Natural England's 2025 assessment of Dartmoor's SSSIs.

The following documents were obtained from an Environmental Information Request (EIR2025/05517) in May 2025. The assessments are based on surveys of North, South and East Dartmoor SSSIs carried out in 2024.

North Dartmoor SSSI Whole Feature Assessments

South Dartmoor SSSI Whole Feature Assessments

East Dartmoor SSSI Whole Feature Assessments

North Dartmoor SSSI Unit Assessments

South Dartmoor SSSI Unit Assessments

East Dartmoor SSSI Unit Assessments

The following is the original data collected in 2024 that informed the above assessments. This will download direcrly as an .xlsx that you can open in a spreadsheet. The different features are presented on different sheets.

North Dartmoor SSSI Whole Feature Survey Data

South Dartmoor SSSI Whole Feature Survey Data

East Dartmoor SSSI Whole Feature Survey Data

Natural England's evidence to the 2023 Independent Review of Protected Site Management on Dartmoor.

The following documents were obtained under an Environmental Information Request (EIR2024/07794) in August 2024. This is the evidence submitted by Natural England in 2023 to the Independent review of protected site management on Dartmoor chaired by David Fursdon.

dartmoor evidence review cover letter 16_10_23_Redacted

Dartmoor IER _Natural England submission 16_10_23

Dartmoor IER_NE response questions 16_10_23

DOC002-Dartmoor SSSI Map

DOC003-Dartmoor Stats

DOC005-Sites of Special Scientific Interest - a brief guide for owners and occupiers 2021 Final_Redacted

Document Log sent to Independent Review_Redacted

DR002 - Example HLS agreement - anonymised

DR003 - North Dartmoor Monitoring Specification_Redacted

DR004 - South Dartmoor SSSI Monitoring Specification_Redacted

DR005 - East Dartmoor SSSI Monitoring Specification_Redacted

DR006 - Dartmoor Farming Futures