Tonnes of heather seed will be planted during the project

Bleaklow, Kinder and Arnifield moors in north Derbyshire have been damaged by erosion and need new growth to protect them, environment experts say.

More than �4.7m is being spent in a Lottery-funded project to protect the landscape for future generations.

Conservation officer Mat Buckler of Moors for the Future says the work will take more than a month to complete.

The aim is to spread hundreds of tonnes of heather seed in North Derbyshire's High Peak before Christmas.

"Atmospheric pollution from Sheffield and Manchester has caused the death of many of the mosses that create the peat and overgrazing and moorland fires have also destroyed a lot of the peat.

"The heather and moss mix will help bind and stabilise the peat," he said.

Thirty workers will spend a few weeks "hand spreading" the seed which will be delivered to the area by helicopter.

The project will also establish a learning centre to develop conservation expertise and provide research and educational resources.