NEWS From RED ALERT

The new Save our Squirrels (SOS) Project is now up and running, thanks to the success of Red Alert North England's funding bid. The Heritage Lottery Fund is providing £620,000, and with match funding from partners and other sources there should be over £1m to help build a brighter future for one of the nation's favourite and most recognisable mammals.

The project is led by Northumberland Wildlife Trust in coordination with both Cumbria Wildlife Trust and The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside, and there are seven new dedicated members of staff across the north of England to help deliver the project aims over the next three years. These are "to secure the effective conservation of red squirrels in the north of England and to increase physical and intellectual access to red squirrels for all audiences."

The amount of time and energy ploughed into helping red squirrels over the years by organisations, volunteers and local groups is staggering, but the lack of funds and the absence of a coordinated, targeted approach has meant that it has been difficult to sustain red squirrel conservation in all areas. SOS will concentrate on 16 coniferous woodland refuges across northern England where the size, species mix and age structure means that there are already good populations of reds. The absence of large-seeded broadleaved trees means that these forests do not cater for the high energy demands of grey squirrels.

There are nine reserves in Northumberland, six in Cumbria and North Yorkshire and one at Sefton along the Merseyside coastline. Project officers will be working with all reserve managers and landowners within a 5 km buffer zone around the refuges to create the perfect habitat to sustain red squirrel populations in the long-term. There will also be targeted, humane grey control in these areas in order to reduce the risk of a Squirrelpox outbreak, as the virus is carried by greys and is generally lethal to our native reds.

SOS staff aim to deliver the new Audience Development Plan over the next three years, providing high quality visitor amenities at flagship refuge sites and to develop opportunities for groups right across the social spectrum to enjoy seeing red squirrels and to help with their conservation. It is clear that the project will need the continued support of all those volunteers who have been involved with Red Alert over the years, and the team hope that local groups and volunteers can help with monitoring in and around reserves, as well as continuing to fundraise and increasing awareness of the plight of reds in communities not just around reserves, but across the north of England as a whole.

We are in the process of creating a new website which should be up and running by the New Year www.saveoursquirrels.org.uk . Until then, we are aware that much of this current website is out of date. However, we have changed all of the contact and membership joining details so they are up to date and if you could bear with us in the meantime we would be grateful.

Alex Lethbridge will be riding for the Reds!

979 mile sponsored 'monkey bike' ride from John'O Groats to Lands End to raise funds
for red squirrel conservation. This will take place from 7-17 August 2006. If you would like
to sponsor Alex please download a sponsorship form and send to Alex together with your payment.

Red Squirrel DVD and Video

'Spirits of the Wood' filmed in Cumbria available from Wild Fox Productions
Telephone: 01768 341638.

Bronze Red Squirrel Sculpture

Limited edition fine art life size red squirrel sculpture cast in Foundry Bronze by Cumbria Wildlife Artist David Cemmick.
A percentage of the money raised from the sale will be donated to Red Alert.
If you are interested please contact Cemmick & Wylder fine art on 01524 781892.