THE black grouse, one of Britain's most endangered species, is making a dramatic comeback in the region after years of decline.

A new survey has shown a three-fold increase in numbers of males on land which has been specifically managed over the past four years to encourage the birds.

Black grouse were thought to have declined by up to 90 per cent in the early 1990s. Since then, they have been covered by a biodiversity scheme, which makes protecting the species a major Government priority.

The last remnants of the English population are found in an area of the North stretching from Wensleydale to the Scottish border, including parts of County Durham, North Yorkshire and North-umberland.

The most amazing results for the black grouse recovery project have emerged in Arkengarthdale, North Yorkshire, with numbers of males increasing from nine four years ago to 24 in 2002.

The success of the project has been put down to the work of eight farmers who formed the East Arkengarthdale Common Committee in 1999, and made the entire 2,100-hectare common a focal point for reviving the black grouse population.

The birds prefer moor edges and thrive where there is a mosaic of habitats, which include heather moorland, blanket or bog mire, rough pastures, small native woodlands and hay meadows.

In Arkengarthdale, sheep are now only allowed to graze for three months on the moorland, allowing the heather to recover and other plants, including bilberry and cotton grass, to grow and flower.

Project officer Philip Warren said: "The site at Arkengarthdale is a fantastic example of how to manage land for the black grouse, with the sporting estate and local farmers working together to provide the mosaic of habitats required.

"Everyone involved should be very proud. This site is also very important as it is at the southern edge of the birds' current range and may provide a springboard for re-colonisation of former haunts to the south."

The latest survey showed increases in the numbers of males of five per cent each year where grazing had been reduced, and declines of two per cent where grazing remained unrestricted.