A PROJECT aiming to protect red squirrel populations in Southern Scotland and the north of England has won £158,600 of lottery funding.
The Red Squirrel Recovery Network (RSRN) project is a joint effort by the Southern Uplands Partnership, Northumberland Wildlife Trust and other stakeholders south of the border.
The National Lottery development funding will help the project progress plans for a full grant at a later date.
The five year RSRN project will start with a 12 month development phase, including developing the methodology for large scale grey squirrel fertility control, planning audience engagement and activity programmes and writing a conservation plan.
In addition, team members will work together to collect baseline data across the project areas on the presence or absence of squirrels, grey squirrel management activity and volunteer demographics.
Katy Ewing, Southern Uplands Partnership project officer, said: “We are delighted that the RSRN partnership has been successful in applying for development funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund which will enable us to work with community groups and partners to build a strong application for the next phase of the project.”
Caroline Clark, The National Lottery Heritage Fund director for Scotland, added: “With Heritage Fund support this cross-border partnership will work with communities to develop effective solutions to one of the biggest threats to red squirrel survival, and help expand the areas in northern England and southern Scotland where the habitat gives red squirrel populations the best chance to thrive.”
