A £10,000 appeal is being launched to fund a scientist to help put pressure on the government and European Union to tackle acid rain effects on the North York Moors.

Mr Tom Chadwick, of the moors national park association, says acid deposits of sulphur and nitrogen oxides from power stations at Drax, Eggborough, and Ferrybridge, and the industrial connurbation of Teesside, has made the picturesque moors vulnerable to attack.

It has resulted in the foliage of hedgerows and trees being burned and streams being polluted which, he says, has had a dramatic affect on aquatic life and fish stocks in the River Esk.

Now, Mr Chadwick who has been carrying out research as a member of the association for several years, is seeking to raise £10,000 to fund a PhD student and to recruit volunteers to help build up a case to put to the government and Brussels.

"We want to see more stringent controls on emissions from power stations and industrial areas," said Mr Chadwick, who lives at the Esk Valley village of Castleton.

"The prevailing winds from the south-west bring acid deposits from the power stations and when it comes from the north, the pollution hits the upland areas of the moors from Teesside," said Mr Chadwick.

But, he adds, the moors are also the victim of long-distance pollution from the Eastern bloc countries such as Poland, where there is a high sulphur content in factory emissions.

"Acid rain is affecting feeder streams on the moors which is resulting in a serious decline in the fish populations".

He and other conservationists measure pollution levels in the streams and have found them to be quite high.

"The moors become the dump of the acid rain because of their geographical position in relation to the winds," said Mr Chadwick.

Many plants and other vegetation has been badly damaged by the acid rain, he said. "The moors are particularly vulnerable," he added. "In the summer months the moors have some of the worst air pollution in the country".

Mr Chadwick said he and his colleagues had taken their own monitoring of the crisis as far as they could and a scientist was now needed to advance the cause for action.

The pollution problems have seen aluminium leaching out because of the high acid levels, said Mr Chadwick. "They are at times well above what should be in the water courses".

Yorkshire Water did filter all drinking water supplies, but the acid rain, when it falls on crops, affects farmers' crop yields and pastures.

Mr Chadwick said the Ministry of Agriculture should be urged to re-introduce subsidies to enable farmers to spread lime on their fields to neutralise the acid rain.

But, he added, buildings as well as vegetation were affected by the acid rain problem. "Erosion caused to such prominent buildings as York Minister is caused in the main by acid rain".

The Environment Agency and the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions are to be asked to contribute towards the £10,000 appeal.

"We would hope to attract matching funding for the scheme because it is urgent that action is taken to lobby the government and EU."

Imperial College, London, which has the expertise available, has already offered to supervise a PhD student said Mr Chadwick. He is now putting together a funding bid.