Residents across the South Hams are being invited to explore the future of Dartmoor’s landscape as a new festival celebrating rivers, moorland and nature recovery comes to Ivybridge next month.

Sustainable South Hams and the Rally for Nature project will host “Moor Understanding” on Friday, June 5 — the opening day of Dartmoor’s Dynamic Landscapes Rivers and Moorland Festival.

The event will bring together local communities, environmental groups, experts and campaigners for a day of talks, workshops, panel discussions, films and exhibitions focused on the changing relationship between people and Dartmoor’s ecosystems.

Organisers say the programme has been designed to “encourage conversation, inspire action and celebrate the people working to protect and restore the moorland landscape”.

Visitors can also expect interactive games, exhibitions and locally sourced food throughout the day.

Most of the Friday programme is open to the public, although some sessions will specifically target parish councillors, young people and community leaders involved in environmental projects and local change-making.

Festival organisers said the aim is to help build a “shared understanding” of Dartmoor while creating new connections between communities and those involved in nature recovery work across the region.

The wider festival continues on Saturday, June 6, when a giant fox puppet named Farragh will arrive in Ivybridge as part of a community celebration and parade.

Farragh will travel from Fore Street to Victoria Park, meeting residents and hearing stories about life and work on Dartmoor along the way.

The new festival is being staged alongside Ivybridge Town Council’s annual town festival, combining environmental discussion with community celebrations, live performances, food and creative activities.

Festival organisers have also commissioned a series of creative projects by South West artists exploring themes including water, rivers, flooding and the relationship between people and the natural environment.

Among the featured works will be immersive installations, sound experiences and public artworks inspired by Dartmoor and the River Erme.

The full festival programme is now available online.

For ‘moor’ information, visit https://www.riversandmoorland.org/