PRESSURES AND LANDUSE CONFLICT
IN A BRITISH NATIONAL PARK.
EXMOOR NATIONAL PARK.
THE PHYSICAL ENVIROMENT.
Exmoor is situated on sedimentary rocks from the middle and lower Devonian period which was 410 – 360 million years ago. The lower Devonian period produced rocks such as sandstones and siltstones these are found along the coast to the east of Ilfracombe and stretch approximately 10 km inland. The middle Devonian rocks such as slates and limestones lie beneath the rest of Exmoor. These rocks were produced when mud or sand were deposited layer onto layer in the shallow waters of rivers, lakes or the sea. Over time these layers hardened into rocks and eventually were crushed between two crustal plates that were moving from the North and South. The pressure from these plates folded the rocks and formed a ridge and trough which runs from East to West. The sandstone that lies beneath most of Exmoor produces well drained soil, whilst areas that lie above the slates are wet, peaty and boggy. In the centre of Exmoor there is a plateau which is now open moorland, to the north the erosion of the Bristol Channel has produced cliffs and an area that is defined as a Heritage coast. To the south of the plateau grass moorland is replaced by rounded hills mostly over 300m in height which are covered in heather. This area of high ground catches the clouds from the Atlantic and receives 2000mm of rain per year, which supplies the rivers and streams of Exmoor. These run quickly to the north and slower to the south. In the east of the park are the Brendon Hills, to the north these hills are wooded but in the south they are cultivated producing enclosed fields surrounded by beach hedges. This landscape reaches all across the south western slopes of the moor and supports some dairy farming whilst the rest of the farming on the moor is beef cattle and sheep.
