The Peak District National Park Authority has leased the Eastern Moors estate, near Sheffield, to a team led by the RSPB and the National Trust.

On securing management of the 6,200-acre site in April 2010, the conservation team will cooperate with numerous groups and organisations, including the British Mountaineering Council and the Friends of the Peak District, to carry out restoration and conservation of the habitat and wildlife.

Public access to popular walking and climbing areas, such as Curbar, Froggatt and Birchen Edges, and to the area's archaeological remains will also be enhanced.

A separate bid for the management lease was made by the Sheffield and Derbyshire Wildlife Trusts.

Cllr Andrew Marchington, chair of the authority's services committee, said: "We received two very strong bids to lease the Eastern Moors estate. On balance it was felt the RSPB and National Trust bid was the stronger of the two.

"We hope the successful bidders will work with a wide range of bodies, including the Sheffield and Derbyshire Wildlife Trusts, to deliver an even better future for the estate.

"We look forward to working with the new partnership and are keen to encourage greater interpretation of this area and develop links with people from neighbouring urban areas such as Sheffield and Chesterfield."

Since purchasing the estate from Severn Trent Water in 1984, the authority has improved the favourable or recovering position of the wildlife habitat from only 42.5 per cent in 2000 to 100 per cent.