Save our Squirrels Berwick Group

Red Squirrels.

The red squirrel is native to Britain, but its future is increasingly uncertain as the introduced American grey squirrel expands its range across the mainland. There are estimated to be only 140,000 red squirrels left in Britain, with over 2.5 million greys.

Northumberland is one of the last remaining areas in England that still has a viable population of red squirrels in our woods. In fact the Kyloe/Detchant and Shielow woods have been designated as a Red Squirrel Reserve by Northumberland Wildlife Trust's Save our Squirrel Project.

However our red squirrels are under threat from the introduced American grey squirrel throughout the north of England because:-

• Grey squirrels out-compete red squirrels for food in deciduous and mixed woodlands.

• Grey squirrels carry a disease called squirrelpox virus which is harmless to them but kills red squirrels within two weeks.

Please help by reporting sightings of both red and grey squirrels.

Telephone: 0845 347 9375
Website:www.saveoursquirrels.org.uk

What is SoS.

Save our Squirrels is the largest single-species conservation project taking place in the UK at present. The three year project started in mid-2006 and has the remit to undertake red squirrel conservation, information, and access projects in the North of England and beyond. Over 50% of SoS funding comes from the Heritage Lottery Fund, with the balance being funded by the public and private sector businesses that make up Red Alert North England and donations from the general public.

Save our Squirrels was created by Red Alert North England in 2006 to deliver the North of England Red Squirrel Strategy, but is managed and directed by Northumberland Wildlife Trust. However, our area of operations is absolutely huge - stretching from Berwick upon Tweed across to the Solway Firth, and all the way down to Merseyside!

Within this area, we have 16 dedicated Red Squirrel Reserves - areas of (mostly coniferous) forest which have been identified as giving the red squirrel the best chance of continued survival in the North of England. All the landowners and managers of these forests have signed up to an agreement that they will manage the habitat to the maximum benefit of the red squirrel through carefully planned felling and replanting programmes.

Local groups like the Berwick SoS are key to raising awareness locally and encouraging local action to save the red squirrel.

The Kyloe, Detchant and Shiellow Woods

The Kyloe, Detchant and Shiellow woods together form one of these reserves that are vital to help the survival of our native red squirrel. They form the sole reserve in north Northumberland, with the Kielder forest being the next closest.

These woods create a unique habitat, having a huge variety of tree species, and are special as one of the last refuges of the red squirrel in England. It is important that we as the local community do everything we can to protect the environment for the survival of this beautiful endangered animal.

Kyloe, Detchant and Shiellow need all of our help to enable our red squirrels to survive.

SoS Berwick Group.

During 2006 two members took part in a project surveying squirrels in Kyloe Woods for Newcastle University.

However the Save our Squirrels Berwick Group only started last year when a small group attended a training day in Kyloe Woods run by the staff from Northumberland Wildlife Trust's SoS. There we were shown how to recognise signs of squirrel activity and their dreys, together with various methods of undertaking squirrel surveys in woodland.

The Group have had tremendous support from Mark and Philippa of SoS and also as we are so close to the Scottish Borders from Richard Wales, Red Squirrel Conservation Officer of Red Squirrels in South Scotland Project.

Our members have an interest in the squirrels, wildlife and the environment and want to learn more about red squirrels in our area and to help conserve them for the enjoyment of people today and the generations to come.

We believe passionately in our native red squirrel and are working hard to conserve them.

Individually we are not "experts", but together we are learning, and building up knowledge and expertise to provide information on squirrels in the Berwick area.

What we do.

Our main aims are to :-

• Work closely with the main SoS officers at Northumberland Wildlife Trust.

• Raise peoples awareness of local squirrels.

• Encourage people to appreciate and enjoy squirrels.

• Train people in the principles and practice of wildlife/squirrel surveying and recording.

• Gather data on squirrels throughout North Northumberland.

• Help protect the Kyloe, Detchant and Shielow Red Squirrel reserve.

We therefore arrange events,

• Surveys of squirrels in the woods of North Northumberland so that people can learn the process of wildlife recording and at the same time add to the database of local information.

• Supply this data to Northumberland Wildlife Trust's SoS.

• Contact local people and landowners in an attempt to raise squirrel awareness .

These are open to everyone.

Interested? e-mail Squirrels

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