CONTRASTING views on national park status were expressed at the Dartmoor Society's debate last year, and the full proceedings have now been published on the internet.
The debate was held at Buckfast Abbey in September, with speakers including Dr Nick Atkinson, chief executive of Dartmoor National Park Authority, and Dr Tom Greeves, chairman of The Dartmoor Society.
Anton Coaker, a Dartmoor hill farmer from Princetown, and Drennan Watson, of Landwise Scotland, also took part in the conference, which was chaired by Justin Leigh, of BBC South West.
Dr Atkinson stated that Dartmoor had 'fared well from the devoted National Park resources and focused attention of the last fifty years', whereas Dr Greeves argued that national park designation 'had so coloured thinking, judgement and action that it is the major obstacle in the way of a renaissance in Dartmoor affairs — environmentally, socially and economically'.
The debate proceedings can be downloaded free of charge, with extensive colour image illustrations, at
This year's debate will be on renewable energy on Dartmoor and will be at Tavistock on Saturday, October 19.
The cost will be £4.50 for non-members and bookings can be made to PO Box 38, Tavistock, PL19 0XJ.