A peregrine falcon. Photo: Mike Baird

Bosses in a national park have teamed up with four other bodies to try to boost the population of birds of prey.

The project aims to increase the number of merlin and peregrine falcons in the Dark Peak.

The Peak District National Park Authority has joined the Moorland Association, which represents grouse-moor owners, the National Trust, Natural England and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in the scheme, which will fund independent field workers.

John Lomas, a Peak District National Park Authority director, who will chair the new group, said: “We know that issues surrounding birds of prey can be a source of disagreement and conflict, but our aim is to have a shared approach that will gradually ensure a more harmonious future.“

“Together with the help of the field workers, we are working with landowners, keepers, raptor groups and partner organisations to gather information which will be used to check progress, including monitoring breeding success.”

In June, gamekeeper Glenn Brown was convicted of seven charges including using a trap to take or kill a wild bird, taking a schedule 1 wild bird, causing unnecessary suffering, failing to care for protected birds and possessing equipment capable of being used to commit wildlife crime. Brown, who lives in the upper Derwent Valley and committed the offences on land at Howden Moors leased from the National Trust, was sentenced to 100 hours community service and ordered to pay £10,000 court costs.

He was also disqualified from keeping pigeons for five years and will also lose his licence to use traps for legitimate game keeping purposes.

“We recognise there may well be some issues of challenge that remain, but this initiative is making progress,” Mr Lomas said. “With continuing co-operation I believe we can achieve a good outcome for these special birds and their habitats in a way that considers all our interests.”

The project aims to maintain the population of 25 breeding pairs of short-eared owls from now until 2015; increase the number of peregrine falcon pairs from 13 to 15; and boost the current 22 pairs of merlin to 32.

The national park authority hopes to introduce similar targets for species in the South-West of the national park at a later date and will also look at attracting hen harriers to the area.