The UK Squirrel Accord is looking for volunteers and land managers in Yorkshire, Lancashire and County Durham to help protect the area’s remaining populations of our native red squirrel and young woodlands, following confirmation of further funding from the Forestry Commission.

Volunteers will help to monitor red squirrels and tree damage, carry out grey squirrel management, and help with awareness raising. Volunteers can receive training, via certified courses, and mentoring to ensure they are supported. The UK Squirrel Accord is also looking for landowners and managers that would benefit from grey squirrel management being carried out on their land.

The UK Squirrel Accord consists of 45 leading UK forestry and conservation organisations, working together to protect red squirrels and trees whilst also reducing the negative impacts of the non-native grey squirrel.

Introduced grey squirrels cause local extinctions of red squirrels through competition and transmission of squirrelpox virus that is deadly to our now endangered reds. They also weaken, stress and kill young trees though bark stripping, which results in less healthy woodland ecosystems and lower carbon sequestration.

The project employs two squirrel officers covering Yorkshire, Lancashire and County Durham that are funded by the Forestry Commission.

Kay Haw, Director of the UK Squirrel Accord says: “We are very grateful to the Forestry Commission for providing further support for this important project. So far, our two squirrel officers have engaged over 2,000 stakeholders across over 450,000 hectares of land and established five new volunteer groups. Their work is receiving much positive feedback and we hope this will make a real difference to red squirrel conservation and the protection of trees and woodland ecosystems from grey squirrel bark stripping damage.”

Rebecca Isted, Squirrel Policy Advisor at the Forestry Commission says: “We are very pleased to continue supporting the UK Squirrel Accord. Funding this project is a key element in creating a thriving red squirrel population and reducing the tree damage caused by grey squirrels. The project will help red squirrels return to their former range, as well as buffering the Cumbria and Northumberland populations from further grey squirrel incursions.”

Anyone interested in getting involved or wanting more information should email SquirrelOfficers@squirrelaccord.uk