Westmorland Red Squirrels © Peter Skillen been very much appreciated. The are lucky enough to have in our area, start of the 5-year Grasmere to we need concerted action on a truly Grizedale (G2G) project in landscape scale to prevent partnership with the National Trust and recolonising from ‘next-door’ when a Red Squirrels Northern England was a woodland has been cleared of grey significant highlight of 2019. squirrels. Success for this strategy across our area will ultimately Elsewhere our various communities depend on the active involvement have shown what can be achieved and commitment from our large with local knowledge, co-operation Geoff Hetherington, Chairman landowners. Migrating grey squirrels and determination. Looking back over an eventful 2019, can travel long distances and quickly there has been so many people for But if we are to do more than just pose a threat to red populations, me to thank– your contributions have ‘hold the line’ for the red squirrels we even those some miles away. Making the future safe for our red squirrels 2019 in a nutshell Squirrels 4628 333 greys caught reds reported Events, meetings and publicity We attended 15meetings 6 internal meetings including trustees and management team meetings, and area steering group meetings 4 external meetings including one with Northern Red Squirrels Cumbria and two of the South Cumbria Squirrel Management Forum 1 conference Red Squirrels United conference in Southport 4 media interviews with BBC Radio Cumbria and the Westmorland Gazette We had a stand at 14 700 followers on twitter local events 8 talks given to community groups 331 subscribers to our E-News 1,465 likes on Facebook Westmorland Red Squirrels—Annual Review 2019 Page | 2 Members at the end of 2019 140 members 343 individual 178 25 family corporate Financials for the 2019 calendar year Income Expenditure Our most recently published accounts for the financial year 2018/19 show income as £51,318 and expenditure as £44,577 2017 reds …………….Some of our 2019 reds Westmorland Red Squirrels—Annual Review 2019 Page | 3 the years. We need someone just to Elsewhere, we continue to control Ambleside and Langdale attach mesh to 2 jam jar lids - one lid grey squirrels in other woods and locations in the area. We have been The efforts from sponsors and is hard wired to the mesh and greatly encouraged by the increasing becomes the base and the other is volunteers continued at pace in this number of householders willing to get detachable and is the lid – we used area. involved by allowing us to site a trap in to use bird feeders but the squirrels their garden and also the increasing At Skelwith Fold Caravan Park scores are so destructive and the bird numbers of local hotels who support of Scots pines were planted which feeders expensive so we make our us, all of whom want to see a return of are much loved by red squirrels – own . It would be great if whoever red squirrels to the area. takes on the job is a supporter of our cause rather than a trapper who is John and Wendy Phillips are subject to being called out at any relinquishing their long held role of coordinator for Windermere and time but anyone offering help would be very much appreciated. Bowness. We are indebted to them for all their help and encouragement. Troutbeck Thankfully they are continuing to The number of grey squirrels culled in control the greys in the woodland around their home and hope their 2019 is slightly up on 2018 , 97 years of volunteering is finally and provide habitats for pine compared to 93. rewarded by the return of reds to martens, the deadly enemy of grey Rayrigg Woods and Sheriffs Walk. Happy to report that the reds are still squirrels. hanging on but they haven’t spread Finally, we are always on the lookout through the valley in the same way We previously reported a potential for volunteers to help us, this could be Squirrel Pox case at Skelwith Bridge they did a few years ago. They are just for a few hours a week, dropping thankfully the Vet confirmed it was at the top and the bottom of the off traps to houses, topping up feeders not SQPV - that could have been in woods, making squirrel feeders or such a problem as there are so many even making items or growing plants reds in the area. to sell at our stall in Troutbeck. If you have a skill or enjoy being outdoors, Delighted to report the reds are we want to hear from you! thriving at the Samling Hotel and surrounding woods. The last year has been an unusual one in this area – very few greys have been trapped, our coordinator in the area even went 5 months without trapping anything, there were greys around but just would not valley however. Good to also report go in to the traps. This may well be that we are receiving a lot of support due to the abundance of food so from locals and visitors particularly at readily available – it was a really our village stall, so many thanks to good year for beech mast and hazel our contributors and buyers! AGM especially so they did not need to investigate traps. On the other hand Our well-attended AGM heard our Windermere the shooters have been doing a guest speaker, Craig Shuttleworth great job, they have really proved from Red Squirrel Trust Wales, focus on the benefit of the thermal imaging For the last 7 years, we have been controlling greys in St Catherine’s the potential for red squirrel equipment and have had a good deal of success - the gear is and Elleray Wood (Orrest Head). As a reintroductions. If we are to save our expensive but definitely proving its result the first red was seen 3 years native red squirrels, he argued, there ago. Since then there have been worth. would be times when we might need fairly regular sightings of single reds near the National Trust Building in St to reintroduce and reinforce existing remaining populations. Previous Wanted! Catherine’s Wood and Elleray Wood, also along the path linking the two programmes have not always Ed Watson has been making all our woods. We are not sure how many succeeded. Recently, Craig has reds there are now but think there test and trap feeders for years and is helped the UK Squirrel Accord are at least 3 or 4, judging by their looking for someone to take over develop a Protocol for red squirrel size and colour. from him - he has got feeder making This might not sound much but it is captive breeding, public enclosures down to a fine art and has done a obvious that this environment suits and release programmes in the UK. wonderful job and is very willing to them and we are hopeful that this show any future candidate the year they will be able to breed and All officers and trustees were re- benefits of all he has learned over become a more common sight. appointed. Westmorland Red Squirrels—Annual Review 2019 Page | 4 greys around Sizergh and Brigsteer, along the river both from the south Central Area red sightings have not been as and from Kendal itself. We are still seeing reds regularly in frequent as in previous years. A red We have an additional contractor to Kentmere, although not in such high was spotted on the roadside at Low cover the area to the north of the numbers since the felling at HP Sizergh Barn but unfortunately it had River Kent from Staveley through to plantation. Sadly, there are still no been killed. We are going to need to Burneside including Craggy Wood. reports of reds returning to look at strategies to prevent greys This will enable one of our other Longsleddale. Further south, and from occupying previously controlled contractors to concentrate on the despite substantial efforts to control areas as they seem to be using routes area to the South of Staveley. Fundraising Gold Sponsors Red Squirrel Rescue We rely greatly on the generosity Holgates Caravan Parks, In August we mentioned the exciting of members, sponsors and donors Logs Direct news that, thanks to a partnership to support the work we do to Linthwaite House Hotel between Westmorland Red Squirrels, deliver red squirrel conservation. Windermere the National Trust, the Grasmere Red Whether you popped a few coins Silver Sponsors Squirrel Group and Red Squirrels in one of our collection boxes or Northern England (RSNE), we had se- signed up for life membership, we Langdale Leisure, Elterwater cured five years of funding to intensify thank you all. Then there were Cedar Manor Hotel, Windermere squirrel management between those events such as the Grasmere and Grizedale. Building on Silverdale coffee morning, talks to Bronze Sponsors the invaluable work of colleagues to many community groups, and the fundraiser at the Hare and Lindeth Howe Hotel, protect red squirrels in Grasmere, and Hounds in Levens, that all helped Windermere evidence from our Rusland Reds to swell the coffers. WCF Pets and Equestrian, project of red squirrel presence to the Kendal south of Grizedale, RSNE had moved We also benefitted from quickly to appoint Jack Edmondson specific grants to support our as a red squirrel ranger. project work: Rusland’s Reds Jack has been focusing on the Tarn Hows area. Not only do reds have Graythwaite Estate Lake District National Park grey competitors in the area, but also Authority a large portion of the woodland is Forestry Commission being felled due to an outbreak of John Strutt Conservation Trust Phytophtera ramorum, a pathogen Sales of knitting patterns, National Lottery Heritage Fund that affects larch.