Dartmoor Futures supports the long-term health and resilience of Dartmoor
We work with others to understand the big challenges facing Dartmoor, test practical ideas and grow the work that can help the place thrive.
Our focus is Dartmoor as a living system: water, land, wildlife, communities, livelihoods, culture and investment are all connected.
People and Governance
Dartmoor Futures is governed by a board of charitable trustees and run day to day by a small leadership and delivery team.
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Ally Kohler
Co-Founder, Trustee
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Gemma Mortensen
Co-Founder and Founding Chair
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Jake Doxat
Co-Founder, Trustee
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Pauline McCracken
Co-Founder, Chair
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Nigel Topping
Co-Founder, Trustee
Our current leadership is shared between:
Pauline McCracken, Chair and Co-Founder
Claire Honey, Chief Operating Officer
Gemma Mortensen, Founding Chair and Co-Founder
Our project leadership includes:
El Ansell, Project Lead
Joining us soon:
Two Moors Way Project Officer
Dartmoor Declares Energy Independence Manager
Claire Honey
Chief Operating Officer
El Ansell
Project Lead
Our board of trustees is responsible for governance, charitable purpose, oversight and accountability. Our leadership team is responsible for day-to-day delivery, partnerships, operations and development.
Good governance matters because this work is complex, long-term and relational. We need to make careful decisions, manage resources responsibly and stay focused on Dartmoor’s future.
Where we came from
Dartmoor Futures began with a simple question:
What would it take to shape a different future for Dartmoor?
Dartmoor National Park Authority helped bring the founding group together and provided start-up seed funding in 2024.
From there, the founding team rolled up their sleeves. We listened to people on and off the moor, explored the pressures and possibilities facing Dartmoor, and developed an initial strategy that received strong support from stakeholders.
Through that work, we became deeply invested in the opportunity we could see.
There are many negative stories told about Dartmoor: stories of conflict, pressure, decline and division. Those pressures are real. But they are not the whole story.
We also see care, imagination, skill, enterprise, commitment and possibility.
Dartmoor Futures was created to help connect that energy and support work that can move beyond stuck conversations towards practical action.
In 2026, with additional funding support from the Duchy of Cornwall and Defra, we were able to expand the team and move into a more operational phase.
This next stage is about testing ideas, supporting delivery, building partnerships and learning what can grow.
Our wider delivery partners and project leads support work across Dartmoor Futures’ growing programme, including Two Moors Way and Dartmoor Declares Energy Independence.
Follow the links below to find out more…
