Red Squirrel Project Home
NEWS…NEWS…NEWS…
October 2009
Join the MWRSP for a walk during Red Squirrel Week
Sunday 11th October
10:30 am Fannog, Tywi Forest. Meet in Carreg Clochdy car park
SN 812502
Learn more about the population of red squirrels in the mid-Wales area. An opportunity to look for signs of squirrels, learn more about red squirrels and a possible chance of a sighting if we’re very lucky (no guarantees!)
Funded by the People’s Trust for Endangered Species
March 2009
Grant funding for Mid Wales Red Squirrel Project
The Mid Wales Red Squirrel has successfully applied for £15,000 in grant funding from the People’s Trust for Endangered Species. Applied for by the Brecknock Wildlife Trust, one of the project partners, the money will be used to continue the project’s vital survey work to find out more about reds in Tywi Forest, continue to raise awareness about the project and to undertake work with schools local to the project area taking students into the forest to find out more about red squirrel conservation.
Over the past 6 years the project has found out a lot more about the distribution and status of the red squirrel in the mid Wales forests but these squirrels are still under threat and their key pine habitat being felled. This funding is a valuable contribution that will allow the project to continue with its work in Mid Wales.
12 December 2008
More red squirrel sightings!
More good news that during the Project's latest trapping session the surveyor has caught two red squirrels near Nant-ystalwyn (approx SN 8057) on 10th December. Two females, one possibly a young one from this year were caught. So far no greys have been trapped, which is good. The trapping of reds here is very good news as it shows that there are red squirrels in Tywi forest mid-way between Llyn-du in the north and Nant-yr-hwch/Y Fannog in the south, where no reds have been trapped before.
A red squirrel has been seen by a local resident near the Tywi Bridge pub close to Rhandirmywn. It was seen on the Cilycwm road and ran up one of two mature roadside ashes - see photograph. Some conifer plantation has been felled in this area fairly recently so perhaps this has displaced the red from its normal habitat but it's great to see one in a non-coniferous tree - this would once have been a common site. The forestry close by is managed by a private woodland manager and they are supportive of the aims of the Mid Wales Red Squirrel Project and also undertake grey squirrel control in their woods, so maybe this red - which is south of the main population in Tywi forest will have a chance to flourish. It just shows that reds can turn up where least expected!
13 October 2008
Red Squirrel Walk in Tywi forest
Fifteen hardy members of the public joined members of the Mid Wales Red Squirrel Project for a wet walk in squirrel habitat in Tywi Forest on 11th October. The walk took place in Red Squirrel Week and was an opportunity for poeple to learn more about red squirrels and the threats to them. People travelled from as far as Cardiff and Glasbury to take part in the walk, which shows the level of interest in this scare animal. Although no reds were spotted - sensibly they stayed well out of sight in the rain - feeding signs were found, which may well have been from red squirrels.
It is hoped that a 'Friends' group can be set up for the project. Public support and involvement is important for a project like this - if you would be interested in joining such a group let us know.
If you go down to the woods today…
Eleven children from primary schools in Cil-y-Cwm and Cynghordy spent a rare sunny day this September with members of the Mid Wales Red Squirrel Partnership learning about their local red squirrels.
Funded by Carmarthenshire County Council and led by Huw Denman, a local forest manager, and the Wildlife Trusts, the children explored some Lodgepole Pine plantation near their schools, finding squirrel feeding signs and learning about the threats to red squirrels and how to protect them.
Great fun was had by all, and though no red squirrels were seen on the day, eleven more pairs of eyes are now on the lookout….
15 August 2008
Project update
BBC grant funding
After featuring on last year's Saving Planet Earth series the project has been fortunate to receive a £5000 grant from the BBC for work on the project. A leaflet has been produced on red squirrels in mid Wales and will be distributed around towns and villages surrounding the mid Wales forests. As well as providing information on red squirrels a section is provided so that any records of this elusive animal can be submitted - these are so important to inform the project's work.
Red Squirrel leaflet
In addition, funding will be used to train local volunteers to look for squirrel signs. These volunteers will help take part in a survey of the forest to look at the favoured feeding habitat of red squirrels (pine/larch trees) looking for feeding signs and assessing the quality of the trees for use by reds, e.g. have they got lots of cones for squirrels to feed on. They will also look out for grey squirrels so we can get an idea of how far they have encroached into the red squirrel's habitat. This information will then be used to inform where further targeted survey should be carried out.
New sighting in Irfon valley
Recent good news was a new sighting of a red in the Irfon valley near Llanwrtyd Wells. A local resident sent in a record via the website reporting seeing two reds in her garden and we have been lucky enough to receive photographic evidence of her sighting (see below). Although there have been records from Irfon Forest in the this valley in the past, this is the first record here for some time! Great news for the project.
Mid Wales Reds feature on TV!
The project has again featured on TV - this time on Iolo Williams' series Natur Cymru. Reds were filmed in the proviately managed forest at Brun Arau Duon, north of Pumsaint. Forest manager Huw Denman helped cameramen set up a hide and after hours of patient waiting a red squirrel was filmed feeding on the forest floor before returning to the canopy. This footage can be seen on the Natur Cymru website
25 September 2007
New Sighting of red squirrel in Tywi forest
There has been a report of a sighting of a red squirrel in Tywi forest. On 11 September a forest contractor reporting seeing a red in the area of the forest known as Dalarwen, which is on the western side of Llyn Brianne reservoir. This is the first record here for some years so the Project is pleased that reds are still present in this block.
Further funding for red squirrel surveys
The project has secured more funding form the Countryside Council for Wales to continue surveying for reds in Tywi forest. This funding will enable valuable to survey to take place in Cwm Berwyn plantation and adjacent forest blocks as yet not surveyed for reds.
Project holds meetings with woodland managers
A productive meeting was held between the Project and woodland managers who work in the mid Wales forests. Discussions were held on managing the forests with red squirrel conservation in mind, so that areas of suitable habitat were always present and ensuring fragmentation does not take place, which may isolate the reds. Grey squirrel control was also discussed. It is only by working with local woodland managers that the Project can ever hope to ensure that reds can be conserved and enhanced in the mid Wales forests.
6 August 2007
“Cheers to our red squirrels”
An innovative idea by the Mid Wales Red Squirrel group to raise awareness about their project to conserve the endangered red squirrel in mid Wales has led to the production of a ‘Red Squirrel Ale’ which is currently available in a number of pubs in Carmarthenshire and mid Wales. Look out in your local for the Red Squirrel Ale (4% abv), which has been brewed by the Caio-based Jacobi Brewery. The real ale is being distributed to certain pubs in Carmarthenshire and mid Wales to promote the work of the project. Specially produced beer mats highlight the project’s work and encourage people to look out for red squirrels in the mid Wales forests.
Justin Jacobi says ‘As a small brewery, close the red squirrel area, I was happy to support a project by creating this Red Squirrel ale and hope that by its production that more people find out about the red squirrel in Wales’.
The red squirrels in mid Wales are one of only three significant populations in Wales surviving in the isolated conifer forests. Loss of habitat and the devastating effect of the spread of the grey squirrel, which out competes the reds for resources and passes on the deadly squirrelpox virus has caused their decline.
The red squirrels in mid Wales are the most genetically diverse in Wales and of a sole Welsh lineage, which makes them important for the conservation of reds in the whole of Wales. The Mid Wales Red Squirrel Project is working to find out more about reds in our forests and to influence forest management and policy on grey squirrel control to ensure that this iconic British mammal is conserved in mid Wales.
Carmarthenshire’s Biodiversity Officer Isabel Macho said that ‘Our project was keen to look for innovative ways to promote our work and the presence of red squirrels in mid Wales and what better way to raise awareness with locals and tourists alike than over a pint of red squirrel ale!’
Jacobi Ales, run by Justin Jacobi started brewing May 2006 and produce a variety of real cask ales.
Red squirrel sighted/Project featured on Saving Planet Earth
On 4th July the Mid Wales Red Squirrel Project and that on Anglesey was featured on the BBC's Saving Planet Earth programme. Maggot from 'Goldie Lookin Chain' spent time with Huw Denman from the project to look at our work and the issue of grey squirrel control.
A Forestry Commission officer was surprised but delighted to have to slow down for a red squirrel crossing the road in Tywi Forest on 22nd May. this is the most recent sighting of a squirrel in the forest as a recent phase of trapping in areas of the forest with good habitat for reds drew a blank. This is not necessarily bad news, many factors can influence the success of a trapping project and the sighting of a red is great news.
17 March 2007
Anglesey squirrels have problems
There has been some bad news from Angelesey. Craig Shuttleworth, the project officer for the Anglesey Red Squirrel project, was disturbed to find a number of reds in Pentraeth forest with deformities. Such deformities are often a symptom of genetic in breeding - it is known that the population there has only one haplotype and is potentially in a genetic bottleneck.
The population of red squirrels in mid Wales has been shown to be the most genetically diverse in Wales with four genetic markers (haplotypes) having been identified. The genetic viability of a population is extremely important in its conservation because this is what gives the population its health and ability to sustain itself. Isolation of a population can lead to a reduction in its genetic diversity leading to the problems that have been observed in the population in Pentraeth. The Mid Wales Red Squirrel Project has been highlighting the fact that the mid Wales population is important as a reservoir of genetic diversity within Welsh red squirrels and an important tool in a conservation strategy to improve the future viability of the species in Wales.
The situation in Pentraeth underlines the fact that the conservation of the red squirrels in Wales cannot just be looked on a population by population basis. The Projects must work together to ensure the long-term a genetic viability of our Welsh red squirrels . However for the augmentation of small isolated populations from larger stable groups to be a viable strategy in Wales we need to ensure that we have a red squirrel population in mid Wales to conserve. The plight of the Pentraeth red squirrels serves to highlight how vital it for as much effort as possible to be put in to conserve the mid Wales population.
4 March 2007
Red Squirrel information panel goes up at Llyn Brianne reservoir
The Mid Wales Red Squirrel Project has been fortunate to receive funding from Dwr Cymru/Welsh Water for the production of an information panel about red squirrels in Tywi Forest. The panel is going up in the public car park at Llyn Brianne Reservoir and, as well as raising awareness, the public now have details on how to report any sightings of red squirrels to the project.
Meeting of European Squirrel Initiative in Cardiff
The European Squirrel Initiative met with AMs at the Welsh Assembly Government on 27 February to raise awareness about red squirrel conservation in Wales and the development of a policy for grey squirrel control in Wales. Craig Shuttleworth from the Anglesey project and Huw Denman from our Mid Wales project were part of the meeting so the AMs could hear directly about the projects in Wales. The message was that if action isn’t taken now with regard to the control of grey squirrels then by 2025 the only surviving red squirrels may be on islands such as Anglesey and the Isle of White.
This meeting was followed up by a session in the afternoon when the ESI met with landowners, forest managers and other interested groups to report on the morning’s meeting and sum up the current position with regard to research into grey squirrel control – immunocontraception research is progressing and may be developed in 4-5 years.
7 February 2007
Red squirrels poised for comeback in Ireland
Grey squirrels are now found throughout the eastern half of the island - from Derry to Wexford - but the River Shannon has impeded their spread to the west. Wodlands west of the Shannon have, thus far, proved inaccessible for grey squirrels. The enhancement of the red squirrel population in this area forms part of the Irish Government's strategy for the conservation of the native red. A project to translocate reds to suitable woodlands - uninhabited by either species - will help expand their current distribution.
One pilot translocation - to Derryclare Wood in Connemara - has already been completed. This exercise (which involved 15 red squirrels being moved from Portumna) was licensed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and carried out under strict IUCN [the International Union for the Conservation of Nature] guidelines.
A second translocation - this time to Belleek Wood in Mayo - has now been given the go-ahead by the Irish Government.A feasibility study suggested that Belleek Wood could support a self-sustaining population of up to 65 red squirrels.
A squirrel ecologist will now be contracted by NPWS to locate a suitable donor population and undertake the trapping and transfer to Belleek. This work is due to start in mid-February and is likely to take 9 to 12 months to complete. The Belleek Wood Enhancement Group has been working closely with Coillte - who own the woods - to improve the habitat of the forest in advance of the first squirrels' arrival.
It is hoped that this project will provide useful lessons for any future translocations in Ireland.
5 February 2007
Red squirrel sited in Tywi Forest
Whilst out walking on Sunday 4th February one of the members of the Mid Wales Red Squirrel Project was lucky enough to actually spot one of the elusive animals in Tywi Forest. The squirrel was feeding in the Japanese larch (one of its favoured species) adjacent to the road and was seen for 45 minutes pulling the larch cones off the branches and then feeding very quickly, working its way around the cone removing the seeds. It seemed unperturbed by a passing car or the noise of cars going over a cattle grid. Below are a couple of pictures - typically the squirrel had the sun behind it so they're not great!
Project receives more grant funding for vital survey
The Mid Wales Red Squirrel Project has been fortunate to receive a small pot of grant funding from the Countryside Council for Wales to continue vital survey work in the Tywi Forest to try and find more evidence of reds in the forest and to try and how and if the populations in the forest are connected. Survey will be taking place in February and March when the squirrels become more active.
Tywi Forest Design Plan Review
A review of the Tywi Forest Design Plan will be underway shortly with a public consultation on how the forest will be managed in the years ahead. This could be very important in the future safeguarding of the red squirrel population in the forest, as forest management is one of the key factors affecting the squirrel. Fragmentation of habitat, isolating squirrel populations, and loss of key conifer species could be critical for their survival. The Mid Wales Red Squirrel project are being consulted on the Plan review at an early stage and hope to that the forest will be recognised as a red squirrel reserve with management for this species being a priority for the forest.
