SSRS Argyll and Trossachs
Lewis is the Project Officer for SSRS in the Loch Lomond & Trossachs area. He is keen to hear from anyone living within the national park or beyond into Argyll interested in red squirrel conservation.
Working to support land owners and forest managers in key areas is a vital part of the project officer’s responsibility, co-ordinating grey squirrel control to protect red squirrels in Argyll and across the Highlands from displacement.
Lewis says: “We have been developing the project in the Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park (LL&TNP) and Argyll area since April 2010. The progress has been significant with over 17 estates now operating under the Scottish Rural Development Programme. This SRDP funding mechanism has helped us to work with land managers in key areas to control the spread of greys into LL&TNP and Argyll. We believe this will have a positive long term benefit for existing healthy populations of red squirrels in the National Park and into Argyll.
In addition, we have developed a more accurate system of monitoring based around 32 x tetrad squares, each with feeder boxes or a sightings transect to detect red and grey presence. This system is run by a team of trained volunteers on which we rely to report the relevant information back to the project".
Red squirrels are still abundant in the forests of the west of Scotland. However, grey squirrels are spreading from the central belt northwards on both sides of Loch Lomond, and west from Stirling to Aberfoyle and Callander. Red squirrels are doing well between Lochearnhead and Callander, predominantly due to the increase in the local pine marten population which seems to dissplace grey's at an effective rate. Greys are also spreading west from Comrie towards St. Fillans which ultimately threatens the red populations along the banks of Loch Earn. Red squirrels in Argyll are threatened as greys slowly move from established populations at Tarbet at the eastern end of the narrow pass between Loch Lomond and Loch Long. The occasional grey squirrel has made it through Arrochar to Glen Croe, and if this were allowed to continue, some of Scotland’s major red squirrel populations would be at risk. At the northern end of Loch Lomond, a continued spread northwards from either Loch Lomond or Lochearnhead could potentially threaten red squirrels in the southern highlands.
A recent jump of squirrelpox virus (SQPV) to Mauchline in Ayrshire is a very worrying development and we are keeping a close eye on this situation. Ayrshire is very close to the main central belt population of grey squirrels, closer to LL&TNP where healthy pox free populations of reds exist.
Thanks to the mountainous terrain in this area which has a limited and confined distribution of the kind of broadleaved woodland favoured by grey squirrels, it should be possible to effect control in a few key places that will put a stop to further grey squirrel spread. Unfortunately with limited resources this has proved difficult in some areas, and we are always looking for new volunteers to help with targetted grey control where we need it most.
At the same time, SSRS will collaborate with its partner, Forestry Commission Scotland, to begin the process of enhancing the large forest networks known as “red squirrel strongholds”, many of which will be located in Argyll. By means of careful management, the “strongholds” should in the future provide enhanced habitats for red squirrels and other biodiversity. SSRS will also work with the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park to improve habitats for red squirrels within the park.
SSRS Support
Lewis is working with the National Park Authority to help landowners access funding for red squirrel conservation work through SRDP and give guidance on forest management for the benefit of red squirrels.
A trap loan scheme, with professional support and training is available for landowners and householders in key target areas in the National Park.
Contact Lewis for details of how to become involved.
You can also help SSRS by volunteering to survey areas local to you or by reporting your squirrel sightings using our online form.
Lewis Pate
Project Officer
Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels
Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park Authority
Carrochan Road, Balloch G83 8EG
Tel: 01389 722 605
Mail: lpate@swt.org.uk
