During the week of 9-13th October, the very first Dartmoor & Exmoor Low Carbon Festival provided a platform to showcase existing low carbon activity on the two moors and to share knowledge on how to achieve low carbon living.

Forming part of the 60th Anniversary celebrations of the 1949 'National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act', the festival brought together communities, individuals and businesses to focus on meeting the challenge of tackling climate change.

The Festival's opening event was held at the Met Office on Friday 9th October, engaging leaders from key public, private and community sector organisations to explore and debate the challenges for National Parks posed by climate change.

This was followed by more than 20 events in and around both National Parks including wood fairs and sustainable housing project tours on Exmoor and the Bovey Tracey Green Street Fair and Green Living Weekend on Dartmoor.

Popular with visitors and residents alike, the Bovey Tracey Green Street Fair was particularly successful. Treasurer of Bovey Climate Action Group and Fair organiser, Andrew Shadrake said, “This was one of the most successful events we've ever held as a group and it was very fitting and benefitted from taking place during the Low Carbon Festival. The best outcome was that we were able to involve many other community groups working towards the same goal. This means we are communicating the low carbon message beyond just our group and ensuring the message spreads across the region and further afield.”

Low carbon living is necessary due to the issues of 'Peak Oil' and climate change - in particular a low carbon economy will take the sting out of future oil price rises likely as a consequence of Peak Oil, increased demand for oil globally and increasing fossil fuel taxation. By moving towards a low carbon economy we can all lower the greenhouse gas emissions that are contributing to climate change and the National Parks and their communities are well placed to lead the way in doing so.

Tim Stokes, Sustainability and Economy Manager of Exmoor National Park Authority said,

“National Parks are visited by millions of people each year so are in a great position to communicate with the public on climate change issues. The Festival was therefore a perfect opportunity for the Exmoor & Dartmoor park authorities to harness the enthusiasm, knowledge and ideas of residents and visitors alike to bring climate change mitigation to the top of the agenda.”