THREE Community Engagement Rangers are getting set to welcome new visitors to Dartmoor National Park.

Emily Cannon, Kats Koster-Shadbolt and Natalie Gibb have joined the National Park as Community Engagement Rangers and will be out and about welcoming people and helping them make the most of this special landscape.

They will be working across land managed by Dartmoor National Park Authority, the National Trust, South West Lakes and the Woodland Trust.

The posts are funded by the Green Recovery Challenge Fund.

Their work will involve reaching out to new groups so they can experience and learn about the natural beauty of Dartmoor, see the range of roles and activity that takes place across the moor and inspire people to love and care for this wild and rugged place and become National Park ambassadors.

Meet the team

Emily Cannon: Emily is already a familiar face to many having worked at Dartmoor National Park as a Youth Engagement Ranger before being appointed to this new role.

Emily said: ‘I am excited to have the opportunity to build on the environmental youth work I started through the recently completed Generation Green Project, to continue the junior and youth ranger programme, and explore ways to enable the wider community to simply enjoy being outdoors.”

Kats Koster-Shadbolt: Zoology graduate Kats has a background in environmental education, engagement, and outreach opportunities in paid and voluntary roles.

Her main areas of interest are science, food, being active in the outdoors, and alternative education.

Throughout her placements, Kats has worked with young people who thrive outside of a mainstream education environment and she wants to continue that work on Dartmoor.

‘I am very excited to use this role to connect people with this vibrant living landscape in novel and empowering ways,’ said Kats. ‘I want to raise aspirations of the young people in and around Dartmoor and inspire confidence and independence in people who may currently feel disconnected from the park. It’s going to be a busy year, but I’m working alongside two outstanding people in this role, and I am sure we will do Dartmoor proud.’

Natalie Gibb: Natalie’s background is in engaging communities with the outdoors and helping them feel a part of their natural surroundings. Most recently, Natalie spent two years in Canada where she worked as a youth worker and had the opportunity to take young people into the National Parks of British Columbia, seeing first-hand the impact the experiences had on people’s lives.

She said: ‘I can’t wait to bring the beauty of Dartmoor National Park to as many people as possible over the next year – without having to worry about the bears this time! – and I enjoy wild swimming, trail running, and wildlife so can’t wait to explore all that Dartmoor has to offer.’

They work under the Moor Community banner and you can follow them on Facebook and Instagram.