Celebrating a red squirrel champion

…project in March 2022. Peter comments “I am pleased to receive this award, alongside three other winners who have achieved great things in their own ways for SWT. To my surprise, I have now been involved with red squirrel conservation for three decades. It all started with a Newcastle University research project in Kielder Forest as part of the Red… […]

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Coronavirus: all SSRS outdoor volunteer work suspended

…stop. You will not be covered by the Trust’s insurance policy while the suspension is in place, and will not be provided with additional materials. Volunteer expenses cannot be claimed for work carried out during this period.   Survey volunteers Please do not travel to your feeder boxes while the suspension is in place. Grey squirrel control volunteers (including both… […]

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News: ‘Booster’ project will protect Scotland’s red squirrels for another two years

…Estates, RSPB Scotland and the Red Squirrel Survival Trust. In 2017 the project was awarded £2.46 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The project has secured an initial £1.08 million from project partners for the two-year transitional phase, but will need further resources to put all project plans into action, which will be finalised in the new year.  … […]

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To feed or not to feed?

…some hawthorn, blackthorn, holly, cherry, raspberry, crab apple and yew. All small-seeded broadleafed trees will provide buds and flowers in spring for squirrels as well as giving a home to lots of other wildlife and insects. If you have squirrels visiting your bird feeders, it is vitally important to regularly clean and disinfect them. This is especially important if you… […]

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Join the Hub

Join the Hub Community action is the key to the long-term survival of Scotland’s red squirrels. The Hub is a space for our supporters and volunteers to keep up to date with the project and connect with like-minded people working to protect local red squirrel populations. Registered users can keep track of their squirrel sightings, and join a local red… […]

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Community action in Galloway

…one autumn squirrelpox struck, and they were all gone in a few weeks. So we had to move, didn’t we… Before coming to Galloway, I was on the Biology staff at Newcastle University, where I lectured for years on conservation biology, including the devastating worldwide effects of invasive species introductions. It was natural, therefore, for me to work for more… […]

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Hawick, Selkirk and Denholm Red Squirrel Network – One Year Later

…provides us with the opportunity to attract new members/social media follows and fundraise for the group, but it also provides us with the opportunity to interact with and inform other attendees about the wider work of Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels. Attending such events requires a fair bit of time of effort and we welcome any help from members (new or… […]

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News: Help stop the spread of grey squirrels in the Mearns

…through competition for resources. Most worryingly they could also potentially bring the deadly squirrelpox virus, which isn’t currently present in Aberdeenshire, with them. This virus doesn’t harm grey squirrels but it is deadly for reds. It would be devastating for Scotland’s squirrels if squirrelpox is allowed to spread into the north of the country. “There are a number of ways… […]

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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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This Year's Sightings