3moors
Give Back to the Moor
Small actions and local projects that help care for Dartmoor, Exmoor and Bodmin Moor.
Ways to Help
You don't need to give much time. Even small, consistent choices add up across thousands of visitors each year.
Volunteer Days
Join practical conservation days run by the national park authorities and local trusts. Path repair, scrub clearance, habitat restoration.
Wildlife Recording
Log what you see through iRecord, BirdTrack or county wildlife trust recording schemes. Every sighting contributes to the broader picture.
Responsible Walking
Stick to paths on sensitive ground. Leave gates as you find them. Keep dogs under close control near livestock and ground-nesting birds.
Habitat Restoration
Peatland restoration projects restore the moorland's ability to hold water, lock in carbon and support specialist wildlife.
Conservation Events
Guided wildlife walks, species surveys, and seasonal recording events run throughout the year on all three moors.
Seasonal Awareness
Understanding seasonal pressures — lambing, ground-nesting, wildfires — helps every visitor make better choices in the field.
Seasonal Stewardship
Ground-nesting season. Keep dogs on leads across open moorland from April to mid-July.
Wildfire risk is highest in dry spells. No open flames on or near moorland.
Red deer rut. Observe stags from a distance and do not disturb the rut.
Peat paths are most fragile after prolonged rain. Stick to established routes.
In the Field
Leave gates as you find them.
Ground-nesting birds may be present in spring and early summer.
Peat paths can become fragile after heavy rain.
Take litter home where bins are unavailable.
Keep dogs under close control near livestock at all times.
Walk single-file on wet or eroded paths.
Why It Matters
Understanding the pressures on moorland helps turn good intentions into genuine care.
Why peat matters
Dartmoor, Exmoor and Bodmin Moor hold deep peat deposits formed over thousands of years. Intact peat bogs store enormous amounts of carbon, regulate water flow, and support rare plant communities. Once damaged, they take generations to recover.
Ground-nesting birds
From April to July, species like curlew, lapwing, merlin and skylark nest on open ground across all three moors. Dogs off-lead and walkers who stray from the path can disturb or destroy nests without realising it.
Wildfire risk
Dry heathland burns quickly and fiercely. A single careless act can destroy habitat that took decades to develop. During dry spells, avoid open flames entirely — including barbecues and campfires — on or near moorland.
Path erosion
Heavy use on wet ground degrades paths and erodes peat. Walking single-file on worn paths — rather than spreading out to avoid mud — concentrates wear and helps slow widening.
Respecting livestock
Common land on Dartmoor, Exmoor and Bodmin is grazed by commoners' livestock under ancient rights. Keep dogs under close control at all times. If livestock are disturbed by a dog, remain calm — most incidents are resolved quickly by a steady approach.
Living Moor
See conservation in action
The Living Moor section covers ranger work, peat restoration, grazing management and the people who care for these landscapes year-round.
3moors does not operate conservation projects directly. We connect walkers with the organisations and rangers who do. All three national park authorities welcome volunteers and supporters.