Dartmoor Curlew Recovery Project

Date/Time

27 June 2025
10:30 am - 4:00 pm

Location

Bellever Car Park, Postbridge,Bellever - Forestry Commission Car Park, Postbridge, Devon, PL20 6TH, South West

This field trip will focus on Curlew Ecology and decline, land use and landscape management and predator populations and management.

Topics will include the role of livestock grazing, alternative land management options, flailing, swaling, pond creation, hay meadows, forestry and woodland planting in the upland landscape.

Dartmoor Landscape Recovery plans and the role of funding through FiPL grants will also be covered . ( FiPL = ‘Funding in a Protected Landscape’ – Defra funded grants )

The study day will also cover a discussion on predator management (Carrion Crows & Foxes), which has proved a serious threat to the recovery of ground nesting birds and nesting productivity.

The rearing and release of juvenile Curlew onto Dartmoor to assist recolonisation will be included. This new conservation initiative developed by WWT at Slimbridge is known as ‘Headstarting’.

The study day will be outdoors so wet weather clothing and footwear recommended even though its late June / early July.
The field trip will include a guided walk exploring the Central Dartmoor landscape, which prior to 1990 was a stronghold for breeding Curlew, Lapwing and other species.
Following the reduction in grazing livestock, many nesting habitats deteriorated with the loss of both species – the last Curlew nest was in 2005
It has been an ambition to encourage Curlew and other species to recolonise and breed in this area since 2005
Since 2021, landscape scale habitat management and creation have been trialled to improve feeding and nesting habitat.
The project has included the rearing and release of young Curlews by Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) over a 5-year period to attempt the recolonisation of this former stronghold.
The Dartmoor Curlew Recovery Project is funded by the King Charles III charitable Fund and the Duchy of Cornwall,working in partnership with Dartmoor National Park Authority, Natural England WWT & RSPB.

Timetable for the day:

Arrival and registration at Bellever Car Park.
Relocate to near the Cherrybrook hotel / Powdermills
Guided walk to view /discuss at Smith Hill and Spader Newtakes to view landscape management and landscape recovery plans
Lunch
Relocate / travel to Princetown to view Upland sheep farming and to the see young Curlew in the headstarting rearing pen. (in small groups)
Travel back to vehicles at Bellever to finish.

Participants will need to bring their own food and drink on the day. Postbridge stores is open 9am – 2pm. Directions supplied on registration.