AN INVESTIGATION into how areas of Dartmoor were damaged in a Royal Marines exercise last month is taking place today.

Dartmoor National Park Authority, the Army and DEFRA will be investigating an 11km area of damage which sparked calls from walkers to the Dartmoor Preservation Association (DPA).

The tracks between Okehampton and Princetown were caused by lightweight Army 4x4 BV206 vehicles during a command and control mobility exercise by the Royal Marine?s 45 Commando ? part of Plymouth?s 3 Commando which recently returned from the Gulf.

The Army have admitted responsibility, but do not know why such lightweight vehicles caused the damage.

Lt Col Tony Clark, at Okehampton Camp, said: ?The pressure created by these vehicles is such that if two people laid down, the vehicle could drive over them without hurting ? they could drive over your toe.?

Lt Col Clark, responsible for Army training on the moor said: ?In the considerable planning for the exercise, including the environmental impact, I had not anticipated any marks being so distinct. We had previously used the BV206s on the moor and hadn?t had anything like this.

?This incident must be taken in context that Dartmoor has been used by the military for 200 years and provides us with an essential training ground which enables us to carry out operational roles of defending the nation and its interests.?###############################################################################################################################

Lt Col Clark wants the public to consider why training takes place before criticising the Army?s use of the moor.

?They are going and giving their all, their lives in some cases, so we owe it to them to provide realistic training. You can?t come second in war.

?We need to keep that balance and remember this damage will not be lasting.

?Some people forget the amount of positive work we do in the area - conservation, employment. What would the South West economy do without the troops in the area??

The Army?s licence to use the land, granted by the Duchy of Cornwall, is up for renewal in 2012, and the DPA are heading the campaign to prevent this.

DPA chief executive John Bainbridge said the park authority should not renew the licence because of what he called the huge amount of damage the Army causes.

Tom Greeves, chairman of the Dartmoor Society, understands why certain groups have reacted so strongly to this incident ? the marks are highly visible ? but believes the ?superficial damage? will soon disappear and was caused by a simple mistake on the Army?s part, and not intentional misuse of the land.

He thinks people should remember military presence on Dartmoor has been traced back 5,000 years, dating to prehistoric hillforts.

?The military is nothing particularly new, but the notion of the national park is,? he said.

A spokesperson for the National Park Authority said their biggest concern now was animals and people would use the tracks because they were there, rather than go through the long grass. They are also worried that if it rains heavily there may be water erosion.

David Pawley, a keen local rambler, said: ?Basically I think the Army made a mistake in running across there with up to 18 vehicles all keeping to the same track.

?I have walked on Dartmoor thousands of times and on occasions it?s inconvenient when you come across the Army, but I?ve not had any real problems.

?It?s idealistic to think the Army are going to leave and there are people who say they do a lot of good and have prevented the moor becoming forest.?

Members of the public are invited to join the debate on military use of the moor on Saturday September 27 when the Dartmoor Society is hosting a day at Buckfast Abbey, with speakers from both sides in attendance.

For more details contact Tom Greeves on 01822 617004.