Squirrels - red or grey, on the railways or otherwise: merged topic

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Forest turbine plan prompts fears for red squirrels



A wildlife charity is opposing plans to build wind turbines in a forest amid fears it "would increase the chances of local extinction" of red squirrels in mid Wales.

Renewable energy firm Galileo Empower wants to build 19 turbines in a forest east of Lampeter, Ceredigion. But the Wildlife Trust of South & West Wales (WTSWW) said it would also affect the Bryn Arau Duon Forest in Carmarthenshire which offered a "rare refuge" for red squirrels, free from grey squirrels.

Galileo Empower said its planned 89 acre (36 hectare) site was already a commercial forestry plantation "where felling and extraction are already routine" but proposals included safeguarding the red squirrels.

The Mid Wales Red Squirrel Partnership (MWRSP), now led by WTSWW, has been working to protect the red squirrel population in the forest for more than 20 years. It said, apart from the mid Wales colony, there were only two other Welsh colonies of red squirrels which are both in north Wales.

Known as Bryn Cadwgan Energy Park, the planned turbine site is located on the Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion border about 10 miles (16km) north of Llandovery and six miles (10km) south of Tregaron.

Trust boss Sarah Kessell said while she "understands the necessity for renewable energy developments... we believe that development should not come at the expense of nature". She added: "We're in a biodiversity crisis with one in six species at risk of extinction in Wales. We can't risk losing another iconic species from our landscape."

About 440 acres (178 hectares) of the forest suffered severe storm damage last winter, including 22 acres (nine hectares) of the planned turbine site, according to Galileo Empower. "Climate change is one of the greatest threats to biodiversity," it said.  "By combining renewable energy generation with robust habitat management and species protection, projects like Bryn Cadwgan Energy Park are part of the solution - tackling climate change while protecting and enhancing local ecosystems."

It said it planned to create "new broadleaved woodland, providing food and corridors for red squirrels, with canopy bridges aiding movement across tracks". "We are keen to continue working closely with the wildlife trust to help achieve this balance," it added.

A public consultation on the plans is open until 1 October and an application is due to be submitted to Welsh government planning officials later this year.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

'Red squirrel colony is thriving in the Yorkshire Dales' - experts


Sixteen red squirrels have been confirmed as part of the colony

Conservationists have hailed the "super-exciting" success of a rare colony of red squirrels discovered on a tree plantation in North Yorkshire.

The animals were first identified in January, in a sitka spruce plantation in the western Yorkshire Dales, by Julie Bailey from the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) Squirrel Accord (UKSA), a partnership of forestry and conservation organisations. Since then, volunteers, conservationists and landowners have worked to monitor and protect the colony.

Ms Bailey confirmed that 16 red squirrels had now been spotted, and said: "I'm very encouraged by the squirrels' persistence and breeding success. We're now finding evidence of new squirrels in all directions from the plantation," she said. "They've been spotted up to six miles away."

The Yorkshire Dales Red Squirrel Alliance, formed earlier this year, now has more than 40 active volunteers. Their work includes maintaining feeders in areas where natural food is scarce, monitoring squirrel movements and managing the population of non-native grey squirrels.

But Ms Bailey insisted that everyone had a role to play when it came to protecting red squirrels. "When people are walking in woodlands and spot a squirrel, it's vital they report the sighting," she said. "It helps us track population densities and stay vigilant about any greys."

She also urged people not to interfere with red squirrels. "It is absolutely essential that the public don't encourage the hand feeding of squirrels - it does happen occasionally and is very detrimental. It makes red squirrels tame and it puts them at greater risk of disease transmission."


There are thought to be fewer than 40,000 red squirrels left in England

Sightings of red squirrels have now been reported near the West Yorkshire border, prompting the UKSA to encourage the formation of new local alliances to monitor populations.

"We just want red squirrels everywhere in the natural environment - healthy, wild and free," Ms Bailey said. She also urged landowners to get involved, saying: "The more land access we have, the more squirrel range and sightings we can document."

Preliminary surveys suggest the squirrels are exploring new areas of the forest, with activity recorded near the plantation's northern boundary.

Red squirrels are native to the UK but have been pushed to the brink of extinction by the spread of grey squirrels. There are thought to be fewer than 40,000 red squirrels left in England.

The UKSA hopes the success in North Yorkshire can serve as a model for similar conservation efforts across the country.

[Clan Line]

Brownsea Island is the best "local" place for reds. Take a bag of hazel nuts with you - never fails !