The Exmoor Trust gave a donation to the Two Moors Butterfly project the objectives of which were to try and help reverse the decline of rare butterflies within Exmoor National Park.
The Two Moors Threatened Butterfly Project was one of Butterfly Conservation’s longest running landscape scale conservation projects, working to reverse the declines in three of our most threatened butterfly species, the Marsh Fritillary, High Brown Fritillary and Heath Fritillary across Dartmoor and Exmoor from 2005 to 2016. All three species have suffered significant declines in the last 40 years or so, primarily due to habitat loss caused by changes in land management practices, reduced grazing levels and often a lack of management or abandonment of the site. Loss of foodplants resulting from shading by invading scrub or dense (undergrazed) swards of purple moor grass can also be an issue. These fritillaries have highly specialised habitat requirements, and management is required to create and maintain suitable conditions. Further details on management for these species can be found on the relevant butterfly factsheets below..
The Project has been working at a landscape scale, restoring and re-connecting areas of suitable habitat by working with farmers and landowners, providing help and advice in habitat management, sourcing funding for required management and organising practical works. The project finished in 2016, coinciding with the launch of a new Butterfly Conservation project called ‘All the Moor Butterflies’, which aims to continue and expand on the work of the Two Moors Threatened Butterfly Project.
Project Aim
The main aim of the Two Moors Threatened Butterfly Project was to reverse the declines in the three threatened target species by restoring and re-connecting areas of suitable habitat. The project worked with farmers and landowners, providing management advice and support by helping to source funding for required management, and by organising practical work
