SSRS Argyll and Trossachs

Lewis Pate is the Project Officer for SSRS Loch Lomond and the Trossachs area and 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, in addition to improving forests for red squirrels and co-ordinating grey squirrel control to protect red squirrels in Argyll and across the Highlands from displacement.

Lewis says:  “We aim to establish a co-ordinated network of landowners, householders, volunteers and project staff all working together to help red squirrels. If we continue with this essential work I believe we will prove targeted grey squirrel control is an effective measure to protect our remaining populations of indigenous red squirrels”. 

Red squirrels are still abundant in the forests of the west of Scotland. However, as elsewhere, grey squirrels have spread from the Central Belt northwards on both sides of Loch Lomond and as far north as Aberfoyle and Callander, and westwards along Strathearn as far as St Fillans and Lochearnhead.  They are now threatening red squirrels in wider Argyll as they establish populations at Tarbet at the eastern end of the narrow pass between Loch Lomond and the Cowal peninsula. The occasional grey squirrel has made it through to Arrochar and 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 Highland’s red squirrels. 

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 set up control networks among local volunteers and landowners at a few key places that will put a stop to further grey squirrel spread, and even push the limit of the grey squirrel population south to pinch-points that can be even more sustainably controlled.

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 at:
www.scottishsquirrelsurvey.co.uk
 

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