THE wild expanse and exhilarating beauty of the Dartmoor National Park is Devon's jewel in the crown. To be in charge of it would appear a role made in paradise.

For 17 years the man at the head of affairs has been Nick Atkinson, who, while appearing quiet and unassuming, has guided the authority through some tough periods, including the horrendous foot and mouth crisis in 2001. So, not always paradise. but there have been many good times and achievements as well as a smattering of disappointments along the way.

This week, Dr Atkinson announced that he is retiring as chief executive in September, and it is a position that will have to be filled by someone with a love of Dartmoor, who will safeguard its residents and have a feel for the countryside and wildlife. Dr Atkinson faced a daunting prospect when he took over the reins from Ian Mercer. The long-serving DNP officer dropped a bombshell in 1990 when he announced that he had accepted an appointment as chief executive of the Countryside Council of Wales. 'It was a surprise to everyone and I think he saw it as a challenge. It was all very fortuitous. I was fortunate to become assistant DNP officer in 1988 when Keith Bungay moved to Exmoor, and I became the DNP officer in January 1991.

'One of the things I always acknowledge is that career opportunities within national parks can be limited because they tend to be stable or long-serving. 'I had people fall away and I have been lucky for progressing entirely within Dartmoor,' he says, praising a first-class experienced team of officers and staff that have worked with him down the years.

Hailing from Surrey, he gained a Phd in forestry/recreation at the University College of North Wales, in Bangor. 'I am an outdoor person and forestry appealed to me. I had spent all my youth playing on a neighbouring farm,' he recalled. A keen rugby player – playing in the front row – it was while at Bangor he represented the British Universities XV three years running. Dr Atkinson's working life began with the Forestry Commission in Northumberland where he became district officer and it was by pure chance that his career took a different direction.

'The national newspaper I normally read did not publish for a day because of a strike. I bought another and in it was a job vacancy advertised for an applied ecologist on Dartmoor. 'My wife Lin's family farmed in Bratton Clovelly, West Devon, and it looked an attractive opportunity,' he said. His application in 1974 was successful. It was the first year the authority – which remained within Devon County Council until 1997 since when it has stood independently – had a DNP officer.

The majority of his work centred on the forest woodlands, and around the mid-80s he became head ranger. While he loves the wide open spaces of the moor, the people and the sense of freedom, it was a far cry from his first boyhood memory of Dartmoor. 'The family holiday was to Dawlish Warren and we always had the traditional day trip to the moor. I was crying my eyes out because I wanted to stay on the beach,' he remembers. In his 33 years with the authority there have been changes, but he says these are relatively subtle and slow moving.

'As respect for the national park grew, so the changes became more of an evolution rather than dramatic change. It is a special place to a great many people,' said Dr Atkinson. Some things though will never alter – for instance the struggles for hill farmers and military training. Hill farmers play an important role in the park and the Dartmoor Hill Farm Project was set up to support them alongside two or three sustainable tourism projects to encourage environmentally friendly tourism. 'That has been the hallmark of what we have done,' he said.

Part of that project takes advantage of the wealth of wildlife to help tourism: showing businesses what they have on their doorstep; improving the habitat for wildlife in the grounds of their properties; and linking that into weekends for visitors. Through that, some 18 or so businesses were established. On a smaller scale, the Dartmoor Freewheeler was set up where a bus ride could be taken to the moor with a bike and then return on the cycle, mainly downhill. It proved popular last year and will continue again this summer. The military has trained on Dartmoor for some 200 years and there will always be a conflict of interests.

'I am pleased with the relationships that we have had with everyone, including the military. Quite often the DNPA and military are portrayed as being in conflict. 'While we have long-term aspirations that there will not be training on the moor, we have worked together as far as possible so that training and public enjoyment continues,' he said. One of the success stories down the years has been the achievement of Moor Care. Introduced to respect Dartmoor and to counteract the damage being caused to it, it enabled the authority to protect wear and tear and erosion of the moor. 'We had the opportunity to manage it early and we were successful, unlike the Lake District and north Wales,' said Dr Atkinson. Action for Wildlife, the Ancient Woodland Project and the restricted 40mph moorland speed limit are other successes. A disappointment was the Okehampton bypass carrying the A30, which was being built as Dr Atkinson arrived.

'Everyone thinks it is on the wrong side of Okehampton. It impinged on the northern side of the moor and was just a bad decision,' he maintained. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act established the rights of access to open country in England and Wales. 'For Dartmoor there has been quite a lot of work without really improving the situation. There have been a lot of expectations but it has not really delivered any benefits for us. 'There were three or four areas we hoped the Crow Act would deliver public access but it did not,' added Dr Atkinson. He says the most miserable and depressing time for everyone at the DNPA was the foot and mouth crisis. 'It was heartbreaking and very hard work for three or four months because of the concerns for businesses and tourism with the worry that it was going to spread right across Dartmoor.

'Ultimately, if you had to ask if there was anything good to come out of it, it was that people did appreciate the importance of access to Dartmoor and how important the hill farmers are,' he said. As chief executive, Dr Atkinson has enjoyed working for three chairmen – Jack Wigmore, Bill Cann and, currently, Nigel Hoskin. 'The good thing about the park is that it is completely non-political. I think relationships between officers and members have always been very good. 'I have enjoyed every minute of my career here, but I think it is time to be going off and enjoying Dartmoor a bit more on the ground myself,' he said.

As well as looking forward to spending more time with Lin – the couple have two children and two grandchildren – gardening at home in South Zeal and rounds of golf at Okehampton Golf Club, he is also a member of the Devon and Cornwall Committee of the National Trust to which he will devote more time.