THE diverse architectural and cultural Dartmoor heritage can be witnessed by the public next month through ?Heritage Open Days?. Open days is now a well established annual event co-ordinated by the Civic Trust and English Heritage. Thousands of events take place across the country and it gives participants a chance to visit sites and buildings which are not usually open to the public or charge admission. Dartmoor National Park Authority has once again arranged a number of special events to help bring aspects of Dartmoor?s cultural heritage to a wider audience. During 2007 the authority?s particular focus is being placed upon the issues of climate change and its impact on Dartmoor. This theme will also be the focus of the authority?s Heritage Open Days. Between September 6 and 9 participants can learn about climate change and its impact on Dartmoor?s population and landscape in the past, both prehistory and medieval times. Visits include Merrivale and Hound Tor which have experienced the impacts of climate change over periods of time. Find out how Dartmoor?s early residents had to adapt, and how sometimes radical solutions were needed. At Higher Uppacott, the grade I listed medieval longhouse, visitors can witness how sustainable construction practices and materials were used in the past and present, and view recycling undertaken in the past. Full details of the programme is available this month on the Civic Trust website, http://www.heritageopendays.co.uk">www.heritageopendays.co.uk or on http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk">www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk
