The England Squirrel Forum (ESF) has responsibility for co-ordinating the delivery of those parts of the UK Red squirrel Species Action Plan (SAP) that relate to England. This involves inter-related aspects of grey squirrel management and control for red squirrel conservation, but the forum also considers more general grey squirrel issues, such as environmental impacts and damage control.
The England Squirrel Forum is made up of representatives from conservation and woodland owner and management organisations and is chaired by Natural England.
Most recent minutes of the England Squirrel Forum
Minutes to follow.
Key policies and issues
Grey squirrel control
In 2006 Forestry Commission England and DEFRA published a policy and action statement on grey squirrels in England, developed in conjunction with the ESF:
- Grey Squirrels and England’s Woodlands: Policy and Action (PDF-805K)
- Annex: Towards a Forestry Commission England Grey Squirrel Policy (3180K)
More information is available on the Foresty Commission England grey squirrel page.
In 2009 A Review of Red Squirrel Conservation Activity in Northern England (PDF-1226K) was published. This was commissioned jointly by:
with assistance from:
- Northumberland Wildlife Trust
- Red Squirrel Protection Partnership
- Northern Red Squirrels.
Local action
Since the early 1990s, regional campaigns have operated to prevent the extinction of red squirrel in Northern England. Known as Red Alert North East and Red Alert North West, these community-based projects have been fundamental in raising awareness and actively pursuing red squirrel conservation in England's last strongholds for the species. The Red Alert partnerships of conservation groups and businesses have pushed forward the development of red squirrel conservation by bringing into management seventeen core red squirrel reserves. Five of these are in Cumbria. These Regional Red Alert groups formed the basis of Red Alert North England which became Red Squirrels Northern England (RSNE) in 2011. Save our squirrels is an RSNE project.
- RSNE 2012 Summary Report (PDF-1040K)
Northern Red Squirrels is an independent voluntary umbrella group, set up to bring together all voluntary groups and individuals who are interested in saving red squirrels.
The Red Squirrel Survival Trust (RSST) is a national charity established to ensure the conservation and protection of the red squirrel in the UK.
England Squirrel Forum members
These include:
- Chiltern Woodlands Project
- Country Landowners Association
- Cumbria Wildlife Trust
- Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- European Squirrel Initiative
- Forest Enterprise England
- Forest Research
- Forestry Commission England
- Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust
- Isle of Wight Council – Operation Squirrel - Isle of Wight local action plan for red squirrels
- National Trust
- Natural England
- Northumberland Wildlife Trust
- Save our Squirrels - A Red Squirrels Northern England Project
- The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside