An environmental restoration project on Prince William’s land in Dartmoor has been thrown into turmoil after a group of newly planted willow trees was intentionally killed using a potent herbicide. Conservation groups have condemned the act as “deeply troubling” and a blatant attempt to undermine ecological recovery efforts.
According to The Guardian, the trees formed part of a wider Duchy of Cornwall initiative aimed at restoring degraded peatlands, improving carbon storage and reducing flooding across the high moor. The saplings, planted within specially fenced-off areas on a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest, were meant to kick-start the slow process of reviving Dartmoor’s damaged peat soils.Investigators now believe that glyphosate — a common but highly destructive weedkiller — was sprayed directly onto the young willows. Every tree in the restoration zone has died, prompting outrage from environmentalists and renewing attention on long-standing disputes over how Dartmoor should be managed.Natural England has opened a formal investigation but declined to provide further details while inquiries continue.Speaking to The Guardian, environmental writer and campaigner Guy Shrubsole said: “This is a targeted act meant to derail efforts to bring life back to Dartmoor. The moor is already almost treeless, and to see even these small steps towards restoration sabotaged is extremely alarming.” He urged farmers, conservationists and local graziers to denounce the attack publicly, warning that Dartmoor is at a “critical crossroads” in its ecological future.The Duchy of Cornwall said it was “deeply dismayed” by the poisoning. Emma Magee, the Duchy’s head of communities and nature, reaffirmed that expanding woodland cover and repairing peatlands remain central to its long-term environmental strategy. “This act does not reflect the shared commitment across Dartmoor to care for and restore this landscape,” she said.The South West Peatland Partnership, which financed the planting, called the poisoning an attack on the very people working to heal Dartmoor’s vulnerable ecosystems. A spokesperson said the area would be replanted “as soon as it is feasible,” and stressed that using herbicide on protected land threatens “everyone who lives, works and relies on these moorland habitats.”Local officials and conservation organisations are encouraging the public to come forward with any information that may help identify the perpetrators. Meanwhile, the incident has reignited broader tensions over the balance between farming, nature recovery and public access on Dartmoor — a debate that has simmered for years and is now back in the spotlight.
