Scotland’s Red Squirrels

Scotland’s Red Squirrels Red squirrels are one of Scotland’s most loved animals, and they are our only native squirrel species. Red squirrels were once widespread throughout the country. There are still many places you could encounter one today, from the conifer forests of Galloway, to the Atlantic hazel woodlands of Argyll, to the country estates of Tayside or the Caledonian… […]

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

…2026. For SSRS supporters, this is an opportunity to speak up for red squirrels and make sure their interests are fully represented. The more people that respond for reds, the more likely the government will take these views into account. (c) Raymond Leinster To help SSRS supporters respond to the consultation (as there is quite a bit of content to… […]

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

…Wildlife Trust volunteer sign-up processes. Please email squirrels@scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk. Please note SSRS will no longer be able to provide any of the financial support that was available during the Developing Community Action and Transition phases. Fundraising guidance and support is available via the Resources page on the Hub, and through the Forum via the ‘Offers and Needs’ chart.   Will SSRS… […]

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VolunteerFAQs

…ambitious aim of the 5-Year ‘Developing Community Action’ phase and the 2-year ‘Transition’ phase was to set up and equip a network of volunteer groups in South Scotland capable of independently taking forward red squirrel conservation in the region, with the help of some central SSRS co-ordination. We have been amazed at the success of the 17 volunteer red squirrel… […]

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News: Report details red squirrel conservation successes, with key recommendations for the iconic species’ long-term future in Scotland.

the national strategy for red squirrel conservation in Scotland, based on the findings of the report and success of the SSRS programme to date. Full details of the successes of the project are outlined in the report. Key highlights of the Scottish public’s contributions to red squirrel conservation include: By the end of the DCA phase 18 volunteer led groups… […]

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

…squirrels reintroduced and that we will carry out monitoring of the entire highland red squirrel population to know the current spread of the species.   Why is it so important to carry out the work the project is undertaking? As habitat has been restored to the north-west coast following deforestation in the past centuries, it is important to restore the […]

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Faces Old and New at Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels

…time for red squirrel conservation.   Nicole Still: Programme Manager Nicole joined the SSRS team in June 2022 as the new Programme Manager to oversee the team’s operations across Scotland and lead the delivery the Transition Phase’s legacy aims. Originally from the Great Lakes region in the US, Nicole has spent the last decade studying and working in temperate forests… […]

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News: Record participation in national squirrel survey

…Scotland continues to provide a home for the bulk of the country’s red squirrels, which still occurs as the sole species of squirrel over highland Scotland. Happily, the sightings also show that the native species still occupies a large area in the south of Scotland, although here they share the landscape with grey squirrels. The largest concentration of squirrel reports… […]

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Community Hub FAQs

the group map show sightings from the current year? Yes, your group’s map shows sightings from the current year (starting in January), and you can filter for the years with the dropdown above the map. On the other hand, the map on the public SSRS homepage shows national sightings from the previous 12 months. What does the map Layers button… […]

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Celebrating a red squirrel champion

…In 2018 Peter was asked by SSRS to found the Red Squirrel Forum for South Scotland as the umbrella organisation run by volunteers for all the volunteers in the squirrel groups and networks (now 18 with around 350 members) in South Scotland. The Forum acts as a bridge with other red squirrel organisations in the UK, helping to keep the […]

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This Year's Sightings