Grey squirrel management
Reducing impacts
Grey squirrels are managed to protect the UK’s remaining red squirrel populations and to prevent them damaging and killing young trees.
Land managers, conservationists and volunteers currently use approved trapping or shooting methods to humanely reduce grey squirrel numbers. Management of grey squirrels on any land requires the landowner’s permission.
UK Squirrel Accord is fundraising to develop a grey squirrel fertility control that could offer an effective, less labour intensive and non-lethal management method.
Good practice
Grey squirrel management must be carried out humanely using approved methods only.
Training courses are available for both trapping and shooting. They provide training on good practice and certification to prove competency – both useful when speaking to landowners about permission to access private land.
UK Forestry Standard Technical Note Controlling grey squirrels in forests and woodland in the UK (December 2019) contains useful information around management methods and strategies, collaborative working, and monitoring.
Grant funding
Scottish Government offers a grant to support grey squirrel management in areas of Scotland where they are a threat to red squirrel populations.
Forestry Commission offers a WS3 grant to support grey squirrel management in England. It is available for Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier on whole or part parcels.
Squirrel Ecology & Distribution
Learn where squirrel populations live and how to identify the types of squirrels in the United Kingdom.
Red Squirrel Conservation
Learn why red squirrels are classed as endangered in the UK and what’s being done to reverse the problem.
Tree Damage
Find out how Grey squirrels negatively impact the health of the UK’s trees and woods through bark stripping.
Squirrel Pox & Diseases
Learn how squirrel pox and other diseases can be devastating for the endangered red squirrel population.