Last updated at 14:08, Friday, 29 July 2011

A critically endangered species of bird is beginning to make a comeback at a reserve in north-east Cumbria, thanks to environmental improvements there.

Work has been going on at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds’ land at Geltsdale to plant more native British trees and to restore the area’s blanket bog, which can soak up vast amounts of carbon dioxide.

Conifer trees were draining water from the bog, but removing them and planting more broad-leaved species is helping to protect it – and so helping increase the numbers of the black grouse who rely on it for survival.

Black grouse numbers have been falling for many years due to a loss of habitat and they are now on the “red list” of the most endangered species.

They feed on the heather and cotton grass which grow in the bogland. RSPB staff monitoring black grouse have noticed that breeding males have risen from 38 last year to 45 this year – a 20 per cent increase, and one they believe is a significant sign of a revival.

Stephen Westerberg, site manager at RSPB Geltsdale, said: “We believe much of the success has been due to a variety of habitat restoration schemes, including the planting of 110,000 native broad-leaved trees over 570 acres of the reserve. We have also been restoring blanket bog and dry heathland, which in time should provide even more favourable conditions for black grouse.”

First published at 14:07, Friday, 29 July 2011
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk