Dartmoor: Wistman's Wood visitors asked to stay out to protect woodland

Walkers are being asked to change the way they visit Wistman's Wood

Visitors to Dartmoor are being asked to keep out of an ancient woodland to protect the fragile habitat.

People had been camping in Wistman's Wood, making fires and stripping moss from trees, it was claimed in January.

The woodland, which covers about nine acres (3.5 hectares), is thought to be the remnants of a forest dating back thousands of years.

Natural England's new advice is to "walk around" the wood so it can be enjoyed in the future.

The wood, known for its moss-covered trees, was given protection as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 1964.

But over the past year the wood has seen an influx of visitors, according to Devon county councillor Philip Sanders, who recorded 400 people on the path through the woods in one day.

"People have got nothing else to do in the lockdown, but it's pressure that the woods cannot stand," he said in January.

"Moss and lichen can take hundreds of years to form, but it only takes five minutes to destroy."

Natural England, which manages the trees, is now asking people to avoid going in among the trees and boulders, and to "walk around" the wood instead.

A spokesperson from Natural England said: "This still allows you to get a real sense of the special nature of this wonderful site.

"By visiting the wood in this way Wistman's Wood will remain a special place for everyone to enjoy in the future."