The black grouse is a large, sexually dimorphic species found typically in habitats transitional between moorland and forest. Numbers of black grouse have recently declined throughout much of Europe. In Britain, the species is now largely confined to Scotland, the north of England and Wales. Continued loss and fragmentation of habitat represents the most serious threat to black grouse. Research suggests that black grouse would be favoured by sympathetic management practices which conserve existing habitat in forests and on adjacent moorland. Black grouse use forestry plantations prior to canopy closure, resulting in local, short-term increases in numbers and range. This Technical Paper gives recommendations for the management of black grouse in coniferous forests together with a description of the species, its current distribution, status and critical habitat requirements. This publication is still available to order in hardcopy.