Conserving red squirrels

Red squirrels in Scotland are primarily threatened by the invasive grey squirrel, which: 

• competes for food and habitat
• carries the squirrelpox virus - fatal to red squirrels 

Conservation efforts are ongoing to help preserve and expand red squirrel populations, including:

• habitat protection
• grey squirrel control

We are very active with red squirrel conservation efforts in two main ways, by:

• being a partner in the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels initiative
• providing financial support via the Forestry Grant Scheme for actions to help red squirrels
  • for example, such as grey squirrel control and habitat management

Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels (SSRS) is a national conservation project dedicated to protecting and expanding the population of native red squirrels in Scotland. 

Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels (SSRS) It is led by the Scottish Wildlife Trust in partnership with: 

• various organisations, including:
  • NatureScot
  • Scottish Forestry
  • RSPB Scotland
  • Scottish Land & Estates
  • Forestry and Land Scotland
  • Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority
  • Aberdeen City Council
• landowners
• local communities

Key Goals of SSRS

• prevent the extinction of red squirrels in Scotland
• control the spread of invasive grey squirrels, which outcompete reds and carry the deadly squirrelpox virus
• engage communities and volunteers in conservation through citizen science and local action 

Main Activities of SSRS

• grey squirrel control in priority areas like Aberdeen and the Central Lowlands
• monitoring squirrel populations through public sightings and scientific surveys
• responding to squirrelpox outbreaks with public alerts and disease management
• habitat management to support red squirrel-friendly woodlands
• community engagement through education, events, and volunteer networks 

SSRS has already seen positive results, with red squirrel populations stabilizing or increasing in some areas.

The project continues to expand its reach and effectiveness with new funding and innovative approaches.

Red squirrels are a priority species under the Scottish Forestry Strategy.

The Forestry Grant Scheme (FGS) in Scotland supports several actions aimed at conserving red squirrels.

Funded Actions for Red Squirrel Conservation include:

Grey Squirrel Control 

Grants are available to support the control of grey squirrels. 

This includes funding for:

• trapping
• monitoring
• coordinated regional control efforts (especially in areas where red squirrels are still present) 

Red Squirrel Strongholds

The FGS supports the management of designated stronghold forests.

These are 18 areas across Scotland (including the Isle of Arran) where we work to maintain and enhance red squirrel populations.

Landowners in these areas may receive support to manage woodlands in ways that favour red squirrels, such as maintaining coniferous tree cover.

Habitat Management 

Grants are available for woodland creation and restructuring that benefits red squirrels, especially in areas outside strongholds.

This includes planting tree species that support red squirrel diets and avoiding those that favour grey squirrels.

The red squirrel is a priority species in the Scottish Biodiversity List and is a priority for us. 

The evidence indicates that forestry is overwhelmingly beneficial for red squirrels in Scotland.

Several scientific papers support this view. 

Balancing timber production with the conservation of Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)

An assessment of long-term forest management policy options for red squirrel conservation in Scotland

Natural strongholds for red squirrel conservation in Scotland

However, felling of stands of conifers can affect local populations.

Minimise the impacts of felling on red squirrels

The forestry sector carries out a great deal of planning to minimise the impacts of felling on breeding red squirrels.

But it is not possible to avoid felling in all red squirrel areas during the breeding season. This would have significant implications for the forestry sector and the associated jobs.

Therefore, trees are sometimes harvested in forests used by red squirrels during the breeding season.

This is done in ways that avoid dreys, or under licence from NatureScot. The work proceeds only after an assessment of the likely impact on the local population.

Management of plantation forests for timber production results in an ever-changing mosaic of forest habitats.

How do red squirrel populations react to felling?

Locally, red squirrel populations may decline after felling. But in other parts of a forest, or in the wider forest landscape, the population will increase as trees mature.

It is also worth noting that stopping timber production during the red squirrel breeding season has other implications. 

For example, it would increase the amount of timber that we import. And the UK is already one of the biggest importers of timber in the world. 

A proportion of this timber comes from forests elsewhere in the world that support other species of squirrel. 

For example, some timber is imported to the UK from the boreal forests of Canada. 

These forests support seven species of arboreal rodent.