IN response to your report about poor weather over the past two summers leading to a decline in numbers of black grouse in the North Pennines, resulting in fears for tourism in Teesdale (Echo, April 3).

Members of the Moorland Association have been at the forefront of halting and reversing the decline of black grouse in the North Pennines.

Our members manage 90 per cent of England’s remaining heather moorland – primarily for the unique and completely wild red grouse – but they have extended the predator control that they carry out on the open moorland to the moorland fringes and planted native trees as a food source for the black grouse. As a result, the black grouse population has begun to thrive in recent years.

With grouse moor owner investment, the dual activities of predator control by moorland gamekeepers and habitat management will continue “whatever the weather” giving the best chances of survival to the resilient core of the population that has been built up.

Imagine how devastating two poor breeding seasons in a row would have been to the beleaguered population before the start to the Recovery Project and grouse moor owner investment.

Edward Bromet, Chairman, Moorland Association.