A tenant farming family is battling Natural England after it refused to give them livestock grazing rights on common land on Dartmoor that has been grazed for centuries.
Roy and Helen Radmore, their son Mark and their predecessors have been farming on Dartmoor for decades.
Previously, they and other graziers on the common were participating in a Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) scheme, which ended last year. Despite intensive negotiations, it was not possible to agree a rollover of the agreement with Natural England.
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This was due, in part, to the agency’s insistence that grazing levels on the common, covered by a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) designation, needed to be reduced dramatically after it judged the site was in an unfavourable condition.
Having failed to agree a rollover of the HLS agreement, the Radmores decided they would continue grazing at the same level within the previous HLS agreement – 0.08 livestock units a hectare in the winter for the whole common, which covers all graziers – rather than move back up to the total number of grazing rights available to them under their tenancy agreement.
However, Natural England objected and threatened enforcement action, arguing that the Radmores had no consent for any grazing on the SSSI.
Although they did not think it necessary, without prejudice to their position that they already had consent, the farmers made an application under the procedure set out within the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The application was only to graze up to the level of the previous HLS agreement.
Grazing provisions ‘low’
The Radmores pointed out that the grazing provisions of the original HLS agreement were already some of the lowest, compared with other commons within Dartmoor. The family manages 350 Scottish Blackface ewes and followers in the winter on the common.
However, Natural England refused their application and the Radmores have decided to appeal with support from the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA).
Helen Radmore said: “We want to protect this hefted flock as it’s one of the last true Scots flocks that stay on the common. This is where they live, it’s their home, throughout the year, apart from shearing and autumn clearance.
“You have to look at these commons and the management from more than one viewpoint. I fully appreciate an SSSI is important, but equally due to climate change, we have to look at what buyer diversity we can save.
“This is our common. We have got to find a balance. If it’s not grazed, there is a huge wildfire risk. Also, ground-nesting birds like to see their predators coming. They like short areas with tufts. You have got to have a mozaic of ground. The public does not want to wade through 3ft of Molinia and gorse.”
Tenants support
TFA chief executive George Dunn said sustainable and appropriate levels of grazing are essential for the management of these sensitive sites. He accused Natural England of singling out the Radmores, while leaving other graziers alone.
“There is no point in the Radmores being required to reduce their grazing, if others are able to carry on regardless and, due to lack of shepherding, stock being allowed to stray on to the SSSI,” he said.
Natural England was unavailable for comment.
