Game-changing grant awarded to South Scotland volunteers

…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… […]

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Images of Saving Britain’s Native Squirrel

…project about red squirrel conservation in the UK. Throughout the last year, I have travelled across the UK to photograph and document the various ways we help red squirrel populations, and the people that are behind these important projects and initiatives. Thanks to SSRS, I had the opportunity to learn more about their Spring Survey. The survey is completed every… […]

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Argaty Red Kites celebrate their other star species with a new red squirrel hide

…and wildlife. It’s also a reminder of just how important it is that we continue to protect red squirrels in the area from more grey squirrel arrivals in the future. The Woodland Hide will be available only by pre-booking. For more information, please visit the Argaty Red Kite project website www.argatyredkites.co.uk or telephone 01786 841373. The Project will also very… […]

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How can mathematical modelling help save red squirrels in Scotland?

…Natural Heritage and Forestry Commission Scotland conservation efforts. Our knowledge of squirrel reproduction, dispersal, mortality, competition and squirrelpox transmission allows us to create mathematical models that simulate how red and grey squirrel populations change over time. The models can be combined with satellite maps of forest and squirrel habitat distribution to determine, for example, the spread and impact of squirrelpox… […]

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Major boost for Scotland’s red squirrels thanks to National Lottery funding

…red squirrels.Scotland is home to just 120,000 red squirrels, three quarters of the UK population. The main threat to native squirrels comes from competition with invasive non-native grey squirrels and the spread of the deadly squirrelpox virus.   Dr Mel Tonkin, Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels Project Manager said: “Our work since 2009 shows that through targeted control of grey squirrels… […]

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

Charity Trees for Life has been working since 1993 to restore previously lost native habitats and species to the Scottish Highlands. Since 2016 their Red Squirrel Reintroduction Project has worked to help red squirrels repopulate areas where they had previously gone extinct, translocating more than 200 red squirrels to 10 new areas in the northwest Highlands, creating thriving new populations…. […]

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VolunteerFAQs

…• 3 elected office bearers – Chair, Secretary, Treasurer or equivalents; and • A bank account in the group’s name (or funds ring-fenced within the bank account of a local Community Initiative); • Or the group is operating under a local community trust, similar organisation, or other independent structure (i.e. as a Community Interest Company). Will my network need to… […]

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Grey squirrel control: connecting the dots

…volunteer you’ll have received a copy of this protocol as part of your training, alongside all other essential health & safety documentation. It’s a good idea to look over these regularly, and the easiest way to keep up-to-date is by joining the SSRS Community Hub. There you’ll find all the latest versions of grey squirrel control documentation, as well as… […]

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News: Get involved in Scotland’s fifth annual Great Scottish Squirrel Survey

…the survey, our third highest year since they began collecting public squirrel sightings in 2010. The highest year to date was in 2020 when 3000 sightings were recorded during the survey, and 22,772 were recorded overall. Programme Manager Nicole Still said: “Public sightings play an essential role in informing and directing our strategic efforts. Whilst we recognise 2020 was an… […]

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This Year's Sightings