OFFICIAL maps showing all registered common land and open country will be published on May 13 in connection with the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.
The Act will give people greater freedom to explore the open countryside, with a new right of access on foot to many areas of registered common land, open country and dedicated land.
The production of the maps is the first stage in the process and will mark the beginning of a three-month consultation period, during which anybody may comment on the land which has been included or left out of the draft maps.
The Countryside Agency, which is producing the maps, is required to consult each parish council, as well as the Dartmoor National Park Authority, the Dartmoor Local Access Forum and representatives of farmer, landowner and user interests.
Each parish council will receive a copy of the draft map, centred on the parish, within two weeks of publication. Full sets of maps will be available for inspection at the NPA, county and district council offices and in libraries in Okehampton and Tavistock.
A series of free leaflets is being published, all of which are available from the Countryside Agency or from its website.
All common land on Dartmoor already has access, but additional areas of open country will be added. The right of access will only be introduced after the conclusive maps have been published, probably in 2005.