A PUBLIC inquiry has been called for by the Dartmoor Society into a project which aims to preserve and restore blanket bog on Dartmoor before any further money is spent.

The society claims that despite almost five years of pilot projects and two years of the Dartmoor Mires Project on rewetting the moor's mires, no clear evidence has yet been presented to the public which shows that the 12,000 hectares of blanket bog of Dartmoor are either eroding or drying out at an accelerating rate.

The pilot project, which involves a range of agencies, including Natural England, is being funded by South West Water which would be one of the main beneficiaries of any rewetting work as it would increase the water table and prevent the need for more reservoirs to be built.

The call for a public inquiry comes as Dartmoor National Park Authority is inviting representations on a proposal to fence, and therefore, restrict public access to, two areas of common land amounting to around one acre on Broad Down, north of Postbridge, to protect hydrological monitoring equipment in connection with the project. It could be in place for up to nine years.

It is claimed by the Dartmoor Society, which was set up in 1998 as an 'independent voice for those who find Dartmoor a source of livelihood or inspiration', that dams that have been created for ponding water are now a hazard to people and animals as they have become waterlogged and unstable.

Chairman of the society Dr Tom Greeves said costs initially estimated at £90,000 had increased to £102,280. He said:?'We believe there are many grounds for concern and issues of public interest regarding the justification, purpose, efficacy, costs, consultation process and management of the current project and previous related works, all of which deserve a full hearing and public scrutiny by a neutral party or parties.

'We consider that any delay and costs that might be caused or incurred by a public inquiry will be beneficial in the long-term as the matter reaches to the heart of hill farming on Dartmoor and the proper management of the commons and is of major interest for graziers, scientists, land managers and the general public.'

But the Dartmoor Commoners' Council and the Forest of Dartmoor Commoners' Association have raised no objection to the proposal by DNPA.

The chairman of the Forest of Dartmoor Commoners' said there were implications for farmers and graziers but they were happy to support the pilot project as it was about improving the environment as a whole, including the biodiversity.

A spokesperson for the Dartmoor Mires Project Board said the five-year partnership project aimed to pilot the restoration of blanket bog on Dartmoor and gather evidence of the effects, including the costs and feasibility of the work and the implications for other users of the moor.

'It offers the potential for multiple benefits for society, including improved water supplies, biodiversity and mitigation of the impacts of climate change,' said the spokesperson.

The project board agreed with the Dartmoor Society that it was important to gather evidence on the effectiveness of the restoration work and installing the hydrological equipment was part of that.