News and Blogs

  2020 was a year of change for many, and for Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels, we were fortunate enough to welcome in new members of the team while overcoming the challenges of covid-19. Having worked from home since starting their roles, we wanted to take the opportunity to bring forward the newest faces of SSRS from behind their computer screens and give them a proper introduction.   Dr Lucy Lush: Assistant Project Manager Lucy is the latest addition to the SSRS team and is working closely alongside our Programme Manager, Dr Mel Tonkin, to oversee our project operations across Scotland. Lucy joins the team with a varied background as a wildlife biologist carrying out research in mammal ecology and behaviour both in Australia and the UK, as well as, working as project manager on various conservation projects within the environmental sector. Once re-opened, Lucy will be based out of our headquarters in Leith. Contact: llush@scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk   Victoria Chanin: Assistant Conservation Officer for South West Scotland Victoria may be a familiar face having previously joined the team in 2019 as an Administrative Assistant, and from June started her new role as Assistant Conservation Officer. When she is not busy saving red squirrels, Victoria works as a Freelance Ecologist, undertaking bat surveys, badger, amphibian, butterfly and botanical surveys. Victoria will be joining the South West team from Dalbeattie in Dumfries and Galloway once ...

  Today marks Red Squirrel Appreciation Day, a time to celebrate one of our most treasured native species and those that have been working selflessly to protect them. Our conservation efforts would not be possible without the tremendous help of our enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers, and today our gratitude is echoed in an open letter from HRH The Prince of Wales to all volunteers fighting for the survival of the red squirrel.   HRH The Prince of Wales is Patron of the Red Squirrel Survival Trust, one of our project partners, who are working closely with volunteers and members of regional and local red squirrel groups across the UK. Today the Red Squirrel Survival Trust shared the kind words received from His Royal Highness.   HRH The Prince of Wales wrote: “21st January 2021 is Red Squirrel Awareness Day and, as Patron of the Red Squirrel Survival Trust, my thoughts turn naturally to all those throughout the United Kingdom who volunteer their skills and their time to fight for the survival of the red squirrel, and for native British trees, the natural woodland habitat in which it evolved. Without your efforts, we simply could not hope to succeed in the task we have set ourselves. Generations to come would be denied the pleasure we take for granted in the healthy woods that are now threatened as never before, and of which the red squirrel is both the symbol and, by its presence, the benchmark. As you will all know so well, these charming and ...

  Following the latest government guidelines, it has been agreed between Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels and the Scottish Wildlife Trust that all volunteer work, with the exception of essential grey squirrel control volunteers, will be temporarily suspended with immediate effect.   As we prepare for mainland Scotland to transition into Tier 4 restrictions from Saturday 26 December onwards, we are issuing new guidance with immediate effect.   Grey squirrel control volunteers (including both trap-hosts and dispatchers) Registered Scottish Wildlife Trust volunteers undertaking grey squirrel control are able to continue with this essential work, provided that existing guidance (issued on 11/06/2020) is adhered to and a Covid-19 Risk Assessment has been completed and reviewed. The Covid-19 Risk Assessment can be accessed through the Community Hub Grey Squirrel Control Group documents, or by contacting your local Community Engagement Officer or Conservation Officer. We ask those continuing with voluntary control work to keep abreast of any further changes in the Scottish Government’s coronavirus advice and please ensure compliance with coronavirus restrictions in your local authority area by visiting https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/.   Survey volunteers All other volunteer work, including those participating in operational surveys, will be suspended until further notice.   The Trust will review these temporar ...

  A record number of squirrel sightings were reported by the public during September’s Great Scottish Squirrel Survey. 2,100 people - three times the number who took part in the first national survey in 2019 - logged over 3,000 sightings of red and grey squirrels, creating a Scotland-wide snapshot and providing valuable data for conservationists.   The Great Scottish Squirrel Survey returned for its second year this autumn, running from 21 – 27 September. The mass citizen science event run by Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels, a partnership project led by the Scottish Wildlife Trust, called on the Scottish public to report sightings of both red and grey squirrels seen in back gardens across the country and while exploring the great outdoors. Both species seen throughout the week were reported to scottishsquirrels.org.uk for inclusion in a national database that directly influences conservation action. A total of 548 grey squirrel and 2612 red squirrel sightings were reported to the project during the survey, almost eight times as many sightings as would be reported in a typical week and almost four times the number of sightings received in the 2019 campaign. The survey also witnessed a threefold increase in the number of people who recorded squirrels compared to 2019. This fantastic response from the public is especially welcome this year, when, for a few crucial months, lockdown interrupted all of Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels’ work to prevent ...

  We want to thank all of our SSRS Spring Survey volunteers who participated in the 2020 Survey. It was very disappointing that we were unable to complete the survey this year due to the restrictions imposed by Covid-19 and we appreciate your patience as we have adjusted to a new means of working.   As we continue to face the challenges of the pandemic, it has been decided that the Spring Survey will not be returning in 2021 due to the uncertainty of ongoing restrictions. With an incomplete dataset from this year’s survey, an annual Spring Survey Report for 2020 will not be produced, however we will aim to make use of returned samples where possible. Please see the regional guidance listed below for advice on remaining survey equipment. We are incredibly grateful for the hard work and dedication that went into this year’s Spring Survey, and we hope that we can offer more opportunities in the future that you will find equally rewarding. There are all sorts of other ways you can get involved in the project, and specific volunteer openings can be found on the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Volunteering Opportunities page. Do keep in touch with your local Conservation Officer or Community Engagement Officer if you have any questions or concerns.   What should I do with my 2020 Spring Survey kit? Please read over the guidance and instructions below for your survey area: North East If you participate in our Autumn Operational Survey, pl ...

  Dr Peter Garson, Chair of the Gatehouse Squirrel Group, has been recognised as this year’s Species Champion in the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Trustees’ Awards for Volunteering. Giuliana Sinclair, Community Engagement Officer for South West Scotland discusses how this award not only celebrates Peter’s immense dedication and drive but also stands as an inspiration to volunteers and communities across Scotland uniting to play their crucial role in conserving local red squirrels.   We couldn’t save Scotland’s red squirrels without the generosity and determination of our volunteers and we continue to be inspired every day by the work that local red squirrel groups undertake on the ground. Peter Garson became involved with SSRS in 2015 when he founded the Gatehouse Squirrel Group. In his role as Chair, Peter is responsible for coordinating all volunteer efforts undertaken by the group, from surveys to targeted grey squirrel control. These efforts have been fundamental to the protection of local red squirrels from continuous incursions by the non-native grey squirrel and the effect of squirrelpox, the lethal virus that greys carry. The group is working to raise awareness of the plight of the red squirrel and inspire others to take action in and around Gatehouse through social media and public engagement. Over 20 households undertake monthly garden counts, which encourage people to take a close look and enjoy their visitors on a daily basis. This is ...

  Aberdeen City Council has been collaborating with the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels project for 11 years to bring one of Scotland’s iconic species, the red squirrel, back to Aberdeen. These efforts have been acknowledged with a nomination in this year’s prestigious Nature of Scotland Awards in the Forest and Woodland category.   RSPB’s Nature of Scotland Awards, sponsored by NatureScot, recognises and celebrates achievements in nature conservation across Scotland. The Forest and Woodland Award category was launched this year to shine a light on sustainable forestry and woodland champions - from individuals and businesses, to communities and organisations who are creating and/or managing woodlands with nature and wildlife at the heart of their activities. Protecting red squirrels is an important part of woodland management in Aberdeen. Following the introduction of the non-native grey squirrel to the city in the 1970’s, native red squirrel populations were soon replaced. In 2007, Aberdeen City Council initiated grey squirrel control efforts in a number of woodlands to encourage red squirrels back into their original habitat. When the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels project became established in 2009, a red squirrel protection network of control staff, landowners and households was established in collaboration with Aberdeen City Council. Aberdeen City Council’s support of the project has had a remarkable impact, from facilitating access ...

  Last month the Red Squirrel Forum for South Scotland was awarded a game-changing grant from the Red Squirrel Survival Trust to help protect local red squirrels in Southern Scotland with innovative equipment.   Collaboration and community action are crucial to the long-term survival of red squirrels in Scotland, and in the South, dedicated red squirrel volunteer groups are leading the way in priority areas where protection is needed the most. These groups, supported by the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels project, fall under the collective banner of the Red Squirrel Forum for South Scotland. Stretching from Stranraer to Berwick the Forum, established in 2018, promotes a landscape-scale strategic approach involving more than 350 volunteers in 18 red squirrel groups, all working to monitor, promote and protect red squirrels where they live. Field equipment has a vital role to play in volunteer activities, and a recent grant of £14,120 awarded by the Red Squirrel Survival Trust to the Forum will help provide groups with game-changing tools including 10 thermal imaging scopes and 120 trail cameras. Both thermal imagers and trail cameras enable volunteers to detect squirrels, red and grey, much more efficiently, enabling volunteers to identify areas that may be under threat from the non-native grey squirrel. View of squirrel through thermal imager © Scott Country International The new equipment is novel to most people and fun to use, so it will a ...

  National Red Squirrel Awareness Week is a time for one of our favourite activities – squirrel spotting. Our Great Scottish Squirrel Survey is a fun opportunity for all the family to enjoy the great outdoors looking out for tufted ears and bushy tails, so why not get creative with how you’ll be taking part this year?   One of the greatest things about the Great Scottish Squirrel Survey is that anyone can take part, from absolutely anywhere in Scotland. Be it from your back garden, your local park or the wider countryside, we want to hear all about what you’ve seen between 21-27 September. Here are a few fun activities for the whole family to join in with and get any young wildlife watchers in the making excited for squirrel spotting.   Build a window wildlife hide If you can’t get outside this week, why not take up a spot of window wildlife watching? You could whip up a homemade hide in no time with minimal materials, perfect for squirrel spotting in secret. All you need is an old cardboard box, some scissors, a pencil and some masking tape (for any added extra features!). © Keilidh Ewan Instructions If you have regular garden visitors, these only need to be reported once or twice a year to keep us updated, you can also report how many squirrels have been seen together at any one time if you are lucky enough to have a popular spot in your garden.    Go on a scavenger hunt Before ventu ...

  Red Squirrel Week (21-27 September) marks the return of Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrel’s Great Scottish Squirrel Survey; a nationwide squirrel spotting campaign that has an even greater role to play in the protection of Scotland’s native red squirrels than ever.   The impact of Covid-19 saw the suspension of many conservation activities throughout spring and summer. For Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels, this meant valuable data usually gathered through fieldwork and annual spring surveys was lost. Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels is calling on the public to report their sightings of both red and grey squirrels in their gardens and in the great outdoors between 21-27 September, to create a snapshot of the situation on the ground. All sightings from the week can be reported at scottishsquirrels.org.uk and will be included in a national database that directly influences conservation action. Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels is a partnership project led by the Scottish Wildlife Trust that is working to protect red squirrels where they are most under threat from the spread of the non-native grey squirrel. Sightings of both red and grey squirrels from members of the public help the project understand population changes over time and decide where to focus conservation efforts. Taking part in the Great Scottish Squirrel Survey this autumn and reporting squirrels – both red and grey – in as many different places as possible, will help make up f ...