Janet Austin (Letters, July 29) may be pleased to learn that Natural England has now given consent for 36 hectares of bracken to be sprayed on Ilkley Moor. Because the moor is an SSSI, no spraying can take place without their consent. Unfortunately, although Wharfedale Naturalists were consulted about which areas should be sprayed, the Friends of Ilkley Moor were not, so that the areas chosen for spraying tend to be those on the upper slopes of the moor.

We have made a strong representation to Natural England that Ilkley Moor was bought as an amenity for the people of Ilkley and its amenity value ought to be a relevant criterion when choosing areas to spray.

On that basis we would have asked for spraying on the lower slopes immediately facing the town. The reduction in bracken on the slope below White Wells, on the area between the two tarns, on the slopes between the old quarries and Wells Road and the start of Keighley Old Road, on the old golf course to both sides of the path from Spicey Gill to the Swastika Stone, would all have a major and beneficial effect on Ilkley residents.

Although no consent has been given to spray these areas this year, the lead adviser for Natural England has stated that he hopes to accommodate these areas in the spraying programme for 2011, so there is some hope that those areas of bracken that most affect Ilkley residents will be dealt with next year. The Friends of Ilkley Moor do what we can by bracken trampling and strimming, but spraying is the only effective solution and we will continue to press for bracken control on the slopes immediately facing the town.

Owen Wells

Chair, Friends of Ilkley Moor