Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels: the next steps in South Scotland

…support will also be available from our HQ team for communications and Community Hub activities, further details below. To get in touch with SSRS staff for support please email squirrels@scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk   Will my network be operating independently from April 2024? A very ambitious aim of the 5-Year ‘Developing Community Action’ phase and the 2-year ‘Transition’ phase was to set up… […]

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VolunteerFAQs

…• Solway Forests PARC • Tweeddale PARC and northern parts of the Teviot & Rule PARC Some additional ongoing support will also be available from our HQ team for communications and Community Hub activities, further details below. To get in touch with SSRS staff for support please email squirrels@scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk Will my network be operating independently from April 2024? A very… […]

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Speaking up for Red Squirrels in the Consultation on Scotland’s Strategic Framework for Biodiversity

for each priority species. For red squirrels the work of the NatureScot-led Scottish Squirrel Group on a revised Scottish Strategy for Red Squirrel Conservation will be a key part of this. I hope to also see red squirrels included in the revised Scottish Biodiversity List of species and habitats that Ministers consider to be of principal importance for biodiversity conservation… […]

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Q&A with Sarah Woodfin, Project Manager with Trees for Life’s Red Squirrel Reintroduction Project

…work would not be possible without the assistance of landowners, who are often extremely keen to get red squirrels returned to their land. Firstly, the proposed reintroduction area must be assessed for suitability of red squirrels, such as forest cover, species and connectivity. Stakeholders and the wider community are consulted as much as possible and are often involved in monitoring… […]

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Scotland’s Red Squirrels

…pine forests of the Highlands.   Under threat Red squirrel populations have seriously declined, with only around 120,000 remaining in Scotland today. In some places they have not been seen for many years. The greatest threat to the red squirrel’s future in Scotland is the invasive non-native grey squirrel. Larger and more robust, grey squirrels out-compete red squirrels for food… […]

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Celebrating a red squirrel champion

…of practice! So, a combination of skills acquired ‘on the job’, happened to equip me well for my current role as a volunteer for the cause of red squirrels here. Within the network of networks that is the Red Squirrel Forum for South Scotland, there must be people with many different backgrounds and experience: teachers for all ages, website editors,… […]

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Faces Old and New at Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels

…based in Balloch, Alexandria but works across the whole region. Felix is currently looking for more households to join our trap loan scheme in his region, and for grey control volunteers. Contact: fsanchezbishop@scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk     Victoria Chanin: Project Officer for South East Scotland Victoria has been with the project since 2018, starting out as a Spring Survey volunteer, working within… […]

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North East Volunteer Spotlight: Celebrating our volunteer Janice Drew as she moves on to pastures new!

…are 18 of these in South Scotland and 1 in Fife. They are always looking for volunteers to join and help with a variety of roles, including grey squirrel monitoring and control. Get in touch with your local group here: https://bit.ly/3OoRt9S We are currently specifically advertising for volunteer grey squirrel dispatchers for the Annandale, Castle Douglas and Solway Forest Red… […]

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Reviewing the Scottish Strategy for Red Squirrel Conservation

…Scottish Squirrel Group have been tasked with drafting an ambitious 50-year vision for red squirrel conservation in Scotland. The revised Strategy will cover a 10-year timeline (2025 – 2035) informed by this vision, and will be developed using the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Guidelines for Species Conservation Planning, the gold standard for species conservation planning which… […]

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Southern Uplands Partnership Guest Blog: Funding Success for Red Squirrel Recovery Network

…the largest dedicated funder of the UK’s heritage, The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future as set out in our strategic plan, Heritage 2033. Over the next ten years, we aim to invest £3.6billion raised for good causes by National Lottery players to bring… […]

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This Year's Sightings