Dartmoor is a wild and beautiful place. It's rich in history, and is an area of creative inspiration and quiet enjoyment.

It was given national park status in back in 1951, so celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2001.

An integral part of the Dartmoor National Park Authority's job is that of maintaining the moorland's beauty - which is where the Park Ranger Service comes in.

The Dartmoor Ranger Service is committed to conservation and education projects

The rangers have been on Dartmoor since 1963, when the first head warden was appointed.

During the 1970s, the warden service was expanded to seven people, and the first woman warden was appointed.

In the 1980s and 1990s, the ranger service developed rural conservation and educational skills, working with volunteer wardens and forming strong links with local community and recreational groups.

The Dartmoor rangers are the eyes and ears of the National Park Authority, monitoring erosion, removing litter, assisting emergency services and working with the public to maintain the beauty of Dartmoor.

Dartmoor's National Park Officer, Nick Atkinson, paid tribute to the work of the rangers.

Sunset over Dartmoor

"Every Dartmoor ranger brings individual and specialist knowledge of the landscape and environment of the moor, with a love of their work," he said.


More than half a century after Dartmoor became a national park, the ranger service is committed to the challenge of looking after Dartmoor.

With Dartmoor now one of the biggest tourist attractions in the South West - bringing in hundreds of thousands of visitors a year - it's a challenge that seems to get bigger all the time.

To find out about events and walks on Dartmoor, take a look at the park authority's website, linked from this page.