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Recommendations

© K. Cook

• That Tywi Forest be designated a Red Squirrel Reserve with red squirrel conservation as one of its major objectives for future forest management.
We acknowledge that forest managers (public and private) have other, sometimes, conflicting management objectives but the Project feels strongly that red squirrel conservation can be a primary management objective alongside other management/conservation targets.

• Focal areas for reds identified within the forest should be managed primarily for red squirrel conservation with appropriate buffer zones and connectivity between areas.

• There should grey squirrel control within forest with a target of eradication of grey in focal areas and constant control effort within buffer zones. Corridors of likely encroachment into focal areas should be targeted.
Forest management should seek to ensure that the red populations in Tywi forest are maintained and enhanced through an increase in area of suitable habitat in core red areas (i.e. an adequate range of preferred trees species of sufficient age to optimise cone and seed production) and the maintenance and improvement of connectivity and prevention of fragmentation of habitat containing the remaining populations. It has been shown that even 1% of broadleaves in a conifer woodland is enough to maintain a population of greys. Large-seeded trees such as oak, beech and hazel must be kept to a minimum in these areas– preferred broadleaved species should be birch, willow and alder.