The economy and the traditional scene of the purple moors of the North York Moors National Park has been given a major boost as a result of a six-year-long initiative to safeguard its future.

Thousands of sheep and lambs will survive, thanks to a tick-treating scheme, and large numbers of moorland birds will thrive, too, says the National Park Authority.

About £2.8m has been invested in the multi-partnership moorland regeneration programme, financed by the European Union, the former Ministry of Agriculture, English Nature, the national park authority, RSPB, the Game Conservancy Trust and landowners and farmers.

As a result, says project co-ordinator Michael Graham, the mortality rate of sheep, lambs and grouse has reduced. Sheep and grouse have for generations been victims to the debilitating effects of sheep ticks and bracken, he said.

"This has had serious consequences on the productivity and economy of the traditional businesses which rely on the moors for rearing sheep and grouse. It is the traditional moorland economy which has helped shape and maintain the scenic and wildlife value of the moorland. A continuing decline in these two businesses would have a long-term effect on the nature conservation of the moors," he warned.

The programme was one of the biggest of its kind ever undertaken in Britain, said Mr Graham.

Achievements of the project have included 85,000 sheep treated for tick infection, 26 estates and 117 farmers working together, development of marketing initiatives, the setting up of the North York Moors Quality Sheep Association, 9,500 hectares of heather being burnt or cut, over 400 hectares of degraded moorland restored, a 7.5pc drop in lamb mortalities, 53 sets of sheep handling and dipping facilities built, and 4,000 hectares of bracken controlled.

Each moorland estate developed and agreed a five -year programme of grant-aided work, said Mr Graham.

In the past six years, an area of 44,000 hectares of moor has been designated as a site of special scientific interest, and special protection area and has become a candidate for the prestigious special area of conservation.

The success of the scheme has been reflected in the fact that the number of farms and estates wanting to take part exceeded the target by 24pc.

The burning of heather which is crucial to the long-term survival of the moors had been stepped up, said Mr Graham.

"The amount of heather burnt, particularly on some estates, had been in decline for a number of years, leading to large areas of long heather."

That, he said, was a great threat to the conservation of the moorland, as it increased the risk of uncontrolled fires, added Mr Graham.

In 1995, about 28pc of the moors was covered in dense bracken, but that was reduced by 16pc a year later and new aerial photographs were being taken to see the latest successes.

On the famous moorland sheep flocks, profitability was poor, said Mr Graham.

"Poor profitability is due to a combination of the low nutrition status of the moors and the influence of tick- borne disease. This, combined with a small average flock size, and problems associated with common grazing legislation, has contributed to removal of some flocks from the moors."

In addition, some 2,350 ewes and hoggs have been removed due to farmers retiring or reducing numbers.

Tick disease is responsibile for up to 80pc of grouse chicks dying. Farmers were paid grants as part of the fight against the disease.

Lamb losses have reduced from 17.3pc in 1995 to 9.8pc this year - one of the great successes of the regeneration scheme.

One of the aims of the programme was to install a number of grids to retain flocks on the moorland.

"In some cases, they could roam along many miles of roads unless regularly shepherded, creating problems for both the farmer and the motorist," he says in his report on the project.

"The loss of moor flocks will make the moorland and village areas harder and more expensive to manage, initiating a possible decline in grouse moor management, farm viability and tourism - all of which contribute significantly to the local economy."

Other improvements on the moors have included the restoration and building of 279 shooting butts on 12 estates, while one estate built 13 ponds as drinking points for grouse and sheep.

On marketing, Mr Graham says moorland lamb is a good product with a unique flavour but meets some resistance in the trade.

In an effort to reverse the trend, the Yorkshire Lamb Company was formed. In the first three months of this year, 555 lambs were sold to 25 butchers' shops.

Another benefit has been the building of six mobile larders for housing newly- shot grouse - vital to their condition for sale.

"Many butchers lack enthusiasm for selling game as do the public for buying it and it does not form a key part of chef training at catering colleges. All these factors need to be addressed if sales of game are to grow."

The conservation, landscape and economy of the North York Moors are inextricably linked, and developing these three factors in an integrated way has achieved much" he added.

Updated: 10:12 Thursday, December 13, 2001