SIR, - Every inch of our small island is managed in some way and finding the balance between different land uses such as recreation, farming, wildlife, landscape and the cost of looking after it all, is the key.

Bradford MBC has had 11 years to reconsider the best balance for Ilkley Moor and grouse moor management has come out on top.

Red grouse are totally wild, found no where else in the world outside Britain and are delicious to eat. They are the epitome of local, seasonal food of excellent provenance.

Harvesting the surplus of grouse to leave a healthy, strong breeding population for the following years is what pays for the management of this environment, which provides food, cover and nesting sites for a huge array of other iconic upland birds whilst nurturing the heather.

Britain has 75 per cent of the world's remaining heather moorland and it is rarer than rain forest. It is our duty to protect and enhance it.

Shooting to protect seems to be a paradox, but it is a well proven scientific fact in terms of both moorland bird life and vegetation.

Adrian Thornton-Berry - Moorland Association Representative for Yorkshire.

Shooting threat

SIR, - It's a great shame that a sensible decision 11 years ago to remove the shooting licence for Ilkley Moor has been overturned following the move to put the lease out to tender.

You may wonder what concern this is of someone who doesn't live in Yorkshire, but as someone who lives on the edge of a shooting estate in Scotland, I know only too well the threat commercial shooting poses not only to local people, but also to wild and domestic animals.

Having recently witnessed the Scottish Government choosing the financial gain of the shooting industry over the need to ban the use of snares, a cruel and primitive method of controlling predators, it seems sad Bradford Council is following a similar path of easy cash over a more complex moral decision.

I hope the council has thoroughly examined every option available in reaching the decision to reintroduce grouse shooting and, should the proposed shooting come to fruition, will take appropriate steps to inform the public of the hazards which come with such an industry.

I hope Ilkley's residents are prepared for the noise, disruption and danger which come with allowing shooting in an area such as Ilkley Moor

Louise Robertson - Scotland Campaigner, League Against Cruel Sports.

Memorial idea

SIR, - Struggling to park in Ilkley yet again, I have the following suggestion.

Since the war memorial gardens are rarely visited but are such an inviting area, why don't we move the war memorial and gardens to the current car park, and put a two-storey car park where the current war memorial gardens are?

As the site is slightly lower than Grove Road this is surely possible without upsetting local residents. It could be a modern, well designed piece of architecture, not a sixties blight.

Perhaps it could have an environmentally friendly sedum roof? It would also mean that the war memorial gardens would be the focus of Ilkley instead of being out of reach' and unseen by many visitors.

Also, part of the current car park could be kept for disabled users. What do readers think?

Jan Brown - Southway,Ilkley.

Avalanche of fear

SIR, - The comment by Ilkley Grammar School chairman of governors, referring to the great distress' caused by Addingham children initially being turned away from Ilkley Grammar School (Gazette, April 17), that she cannot rule out its happening again in future years' sends an avalanche of fear over parents in the district.

Some are trying to move house; some are arranging private tuition for entry to Skipton schools; some are just crossing their fingers. And what of householders without children: fearful of the effect on house prices.

What does an estate agent say to a prospective buyer when asked about education for children in Addingham? The present hiatus is untenable.

If Ilkley Grammar School and Education Bradford really want to avoid the debacle recurring they can surely come up with some sort of reassuring statement. Come on - what about it?

Roy Bramwell - 2 St Ian's Croft, Addingham.