The stag's head stands for the moorland's iconic wildlife, particularly its red deer.

The star symbolises Exmoor National Park's status as Europe's first designated International Dark Sky Reserve, awarded in 2011.

The wavy lines of white, purple and green represent Exmoor as a place where the sea meets cliffs, moorland and forests, as well as the region's many footpaths.

[4][5] In total, 261 designs were submitted for the competition, with some entries coming from as far afield as Australia and the United States.

[2] A panel of eight judges reviewed the proposals before ultimately selecting a shortlist of five (in a divergence from the original plan to end the competition with four finalists),[6] which were put to a public vote on 20 August 2014, with voting remaining open until 10 September.