The Red Squirrel Recovery Network
RUN is one of three Conservation Delivery Partners across southern Scotland for the Red Squirrel Recovery Network (RSRN) covering Dumfries and Galloway and the Borders. The RSRN project, supported by the Heritage Fund, is working with eight conservation partners and a network of 50 volunteer Red Squirrel Groups to increase red squirrel numbers and improve protection for this iconic species across northern England and southern Scotland.
History of Red Squirrel conservation in the UK
Pest status
It is difficult to believe now, but before 1900's red squirrels were widespread and were even considered a forestry pest and actively killed by "Squirrel destruction clubs" culled by public and private forestry organisations alike.
Grey invasion
By the 1940s grey squirrels had replaced red squirrels in central Scotland and much of England and Wales, as a result of habitat loss, together with competition for food and habitat from the non native grey. Grey squirrels also carried Squirrelpox which rapidly kills red squirrels but does not affect grey squirrels causing local red squirrel extinction across swathes of the UK.
20th Century conservation
As a result of this rapid decline and threats to our native red population, conservation organisations started to work together with landowners, forestry and communities to protect our native red squirrels and to control grey squirrels.
Saving Scotland's Reds Squirrels (SSRS) was established in 2009 and is led by the Scottish Wildlife Trust working with conservation partners, communities and landowners to protect red squirrels and control grey squirrels in north-east Scotland, the central lowlands and south Scotland.
Red Squirrel Northern England (RSNE) is a red squirrel conservation partnership undertaking similar conservation work right across northern England.
Other red squirrel conservation groups include the UK Red Squirrel Accord which is a UK wide partnership of 47 leading conservation and forestry organisations , Government agencies and companies with links to voluntary red squirrel conservation groups. It represents a wide range of sectors and viewpoints.
The Red Squirrel Recovery Network(RSRN)
The Northumberland Wildlife Trust and partners were awarded £4.86 million by The National Lottery Heritage Fund for the RSRN project.
Thanks to National Lottery players, this 5 year initiative will help protect and conserve our beloved red squirrels across northern England and southern Scotland.
This project will run until early 2030. It is an ambitious project working at super-landscape scale to bring about lasting change for red squirrels across southern Scotland and northern England.
RSRN Conservation Partners: Keeping Red Squirrels Safe in Southern Scotland
In the south of Scotland, RUN are working together with Bright Green Nature and the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere, as conservation delivery partners for the RSRN project. With direct conservation work, communication and engagement and outreach activities taking place in Southern Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders.
RSRN Conservation Partners keeping red squirrels safe in Northern England
Led by the Northumberland Wildlife Trust, other RSRN partners in northern England include, the Cumbria Wildlife Trust, The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester & North Merseyside, The Red Squirrel Accord and Knowsley Safari. They are working together (and with RSRN partners in southern Scotland) sharing best practise and reaching new audiences with the messages and means of how to increase red squirrel populations across northern England and southern Scotland to help keep our red squirrels safe for current and future generations.
Red Squirrel Recovery Network - Red Squirrel Groups
There are 50 Red Squirrel Groups/Red Squirrel Networks across southern Scotland and northern England. Each Group is made up of committed volunteers, people who are passionate about and who care deeply about seeing our native red squirrels better protected from the tide of encroaching grey squirrels that outcompete reds for food and habitat forcing them into marginal areas and also killing red squirrels with the deadly Squirrelpox virus which grey squirrels carry.
Every Red Squirrel Group/Network needs more volunteers - So please find your local Red Squirrel Group/Network by clicking on your nearest Group in the interactive map below.