THE world famous landscapes of Dartmoor and Exmoor are under threat as hill farmers in the south west face mounting challenges to their economic viability.

So says the campaign message from the national park societies from Dartmoor and Exmoor.

Dartmoor Preservation Association together with the Exmoor Society is campaigning to raise the awareness of the impacts on public benefits caused by the crisis in upland farming.

The two charities, helped by sponsorship from the Times, have organised a reception at the House of Lords on November 6 where local farmers from Dartmoor and Exmoor will lobby politicians, government agencies and decision makers. The charities plan to follow up with calls for a parliamentary debate.

Extensive livestock grazing by cattle, sheep and ponies has played a crucial role in shaping the upland landscape, which is internationally recognised for its biodiversity as well as its significant landscape, archaeological, recreational, economic, cultural and natural resource values. 

These essential links between hill farming practices and the public benefits they provide is often forgotten, say the societies.

A recent study by the University of Exeter points to a bleak future for hill farmers amid a climate of decreasing economic viability and increasing regulation.

Farmers have responded with significant reductions in the number of grazing animals in the uplands, allowing invasive vegetation to proliferate. 

James Paxman, chief executive of the Dartmoor Preservation Association, said: 'Farming is the most effective way of managing our upland landscape.

'Our campaign is all about getting people to understand that enjoyment of the public benefits offered by the upland landscape is inextricably linked with current farming practice and our agricultural heritage.

'We believe that public support for these benefits is not properly recognised. Although agri-environment schemes and the recently announced Upland Entry Level Stewardship (UELS) attempt to address this issue, hill farmers are still significantly disadvantaged as a result of CAP reform.

'We must use public funds to ensure a viable future for farming in the uplands if we are to enjoy these landscapes to their utmost.Relying on volatile and capricious markets to resolve this issue simply won't work.

'Clearly, staging a reception at the House of Lords is a big undertaking for us and that's why we are grateful for the support of organisations like the Times who are helping to sponsor the event.'

By 2012 the Single Payment Scheme will be entirely area based and due to the huge difference in payment rates between uplands and lowlands, hill farmers will see the value of this essential support fall by between 30% to 50%, he said. 

Already 40% of upland farmers in the south west had reduced their numbers of grazing animals.

Dartmoor and Exmoor together provide more than 65,000 hectares of open landscapes famous for their unique beauty. 

These landscapes contain 7% of the nation's Scheduled Monuments going back to the Bronze Age.

As grazing animals are withdrawn from the moor, the encroachment of invasive vegetation threatens the public enjoyment of these areas.

There are significant consequential issues as it is the beauty of these landscapes and the public amenity that they provide which draws many visitors to the south west and fuels the tourist economy.