Fly-tipping, red-hot barbecues and van drivers throwing carrots at ponies are among the burning issues for rangers patrolling Dartmoor.
Presenting a report on their activities at a meeting of the Dartmoor National Park Authority, the rangers outlined some of the moor’s more unusual incidents.
In one, a ranger had to have a ‘quiet word’ with a van driver who was throwing carrots out of his window as he passed some of the moor’s famous ponies.
Rangers said they were having to deal with a new range of issues, including increasing numbers of motorhomes parked on the moor and an upsurge in fly-tipping incidents..
The meeting heard that there were nine rangers working on the moor, working every day apart from Christmas Day. Patrols took in ‘hotspots’ such as Cadover Bridge, where last year police had to shut down a large illegal rave.
Rangers found more than 100 ‘fire scars’ left by disposable barbecues within close range of the Cadover Bridge car park.
Chief Ranger Simon Lee told the meeting: “We are going to see another busy summer this year, with more people choosing to holiday at home rather than travelling abroad.”
Mr Lee said education was crucial in getting visitors to understand the moor and how to use it. “We need to do a better job of getting through to some user groups,” he added.
Rangers now have body-worn video cameras available to them if they need them.
“People are a little bit more challenging than they were 20 years ago,” said Mr Lee. There has been a slight shift in people’s attitudes.”
Caroline Mott agreed, saying: “People’s attitudes are more confrontational than they used to be.”
She also said the number of complaints about dog poo bags being left on the moor was increasing, with people leaving full bags behind in the mistaken belief they would just rot away.
“Can we add this to the growing list of things we need to be educating people on?” she asked.
Pamela Woods urged members to put pressure on the government to publish public information messages.
“It should be in the national culture and we should be leading the charge here” she said. “Do not abuse the countryside.”
She cited a recent fire on the moor started by someone dumping a hot barbecue into the gorse from a van and driving off, and said: “For goodness sake – where is the brain?”
The authority’s director of conservation Richard Drysdale stressed that educating the public was a key strategy.
“For instance,” he said. “We could talk to convenience stores, so that if somebody comes in and buys 12 kilos of carrots they could ask them why – and make sure they are not feeding the ponies!”
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