Red Squirrel Action Plan Operational Objectives


Operational Objective Outline Prescription Objective Partners Lead Partner Cost Fund Source Year Priority
1. Ensure the needs of red squirrels are considered in all planning, forestry and nature conservation applications and schemes. Send copy of SAP to all consultees, emphasising that red squirrels should be considered in all forest design plans, forest plans, WGS applications, management plans, planting schemes, and planning consultations. 1 FC,SNH, LA, LBAP LBAP * FC,
SNH,
LA,
LBAP		 2002 - ongoing H
  Hold red squirrel workshops and briefing sessions with local authority services and statutory agencies, to raise awareness of red squirrel needs. 1, 5 FC, LBAP FC * FC,
LBAP		 2002 - ongoing H
2. Increase knowledge of location of red and grey squirrels in North East Scotland through production of distribution map showing the two species and most importantly the buffer zone, the 1-3km corridor dividing the two species. Add yearly data to Grampian Squirrel Survey. Data to be held at NESBReC. 2, 3 GSG, NESBReC GSG * FC,
SNH		   M
Conduct repeat survey every five years. Data to be held at NESBReC 2, 3 GSG, NESBReC GSG £2000 FC,
SNH		 2005 and 2010 M
3. Locate and identify core red squirrel areas. These are areas of woodland that together or singularly form a block of 200ha or above, this being the minimum area required to support a long term viable population. Notify Planning services and statutory organisations of all sites over 200 ha with resident red squirrel populations. 2, 3, 5 FC, NESBReC NESBReC * NESBReC 2002 M
  Integrate survey detail of all woodlands over 200 ha onto GIS, that have, or potentially have, red squirrel populations. 1, 5 FC, NESBReC FC, NESBReC £500 FC,
SNH,
ACP		 2002 H
4. Prioritise red squirrel areas for management. Draft a list prioritising those sites requiring the most urgent attention, guided by the paper "Selecting Refuge Sites for Red Squirrel Conservation" by Jason Reynolds and Sarah Bentley (2001), and using survey data from core red squirrel areas identified in Operational Objective 3 above. 2 FC, GSG, NESBReC, LBAP,
ACP, LA, SWT,
land owners		 FC * FC,
ACP,
NESBReC 		Early 2002 H
Consult on draft list of priority areas for management with relevant woodland managers. 2, 3, 4 FC, GSG, LBAP,
ACP, LA, FWAG		 FC £1000 per year FC,
LBAP		 2002 - ongoing H
5. Liaise with landowners to agree management of buffer zones and priority woodlands. Divide list of priority sites between members of the GSG, for group members to liaise with individual landowners. 1, 3, 4 GSG,
ACP,
SWT		 GSG * GSG,
ACP		 2002 - ongoing H
  Identify land ownership and produce list of owners. Contact owners via post, visits, and/or meetings. 1, 3, 4 GSG,
ACP		 GSG * GSG,
ACP		 2002 - ongoing H
6. Advise on appropriate habitat management and sources of grant available. Issue and refer to FC practice note Red squirrel Conservation by Pepper and Patterson (1998), ensuring coverage of owners whose grounds make up 2000 ha blocks. 4 FC,
SWT,
SNH		 FC * FC,
ACP		 2002 - ongoing H
  Target all owners of contiguous blocks making up 200 + ha within the buffer zone, identified between red and grey squirrel populations in Operational Objective 2 above. 4 FC,
SNH,
SWT, FWAG		 FC £1500 FC,
ACP		 2002 - ongoing H
7. Control spread of grey squirrels. Prepare contingency plans for control of grey squirrels by identifying all woodland priority areas containing grey squirrels and compiling a list, including ownership. 4 GSG GSG £500 FC,
SNH,
ACP,
SWT		 2003 - ongoing M
  Contact owners of woodland containing grey squirrels and agree management plan. 4 GSG, FWAG FC £5000 FC,
SNH,
ACP,
SWT		 2003 - ongoing M
8. Monitor red squirrel management success and grey squirrel control. Monitor sites where habitat management has been undertaken, using data from the Grampian Squirrel Survey. 2 GSG GSG * FC,
SNH		 2002 onwards M
9. Raise awareness of red squirrel conservation. Run at least 2 Ranger events on red squirrels per year. 5 LBAP, LA/FC Rangers, SWT LA/FC Rangers * LA,
FC		 2001 - ongoing H
  Present at least 2 red squirrel talks per year. 5 LBAP, LA/FC Rangers, SWT LA/FC Rangers * LA,
FC		 2001 - ongoing H
  Produce a regional leaflet to promote the action plan and the core and buffer zones. 5

GSG,
LBAP,
FC,
SWT

 LBAP £5,000 LBAP,
SNH		 2002 H
  Promote awareness of the conservation needs and impacts of squirrels through talks, activities, project work in schools and colleges. 5 LBAP, LA/FC Rangers LA/FC Rangers £5,000 LA,
FC		 2002 - ongoing M
10. Integrate the plan with other local SAPs, HAPs and management objectives. Consider actions from red squirrel SAP when developing all new HAPs and SAPs, to minimise conflicts between different plan objectives. 1, 5 LBAP LBAP * LBAP Ongoing H
  Send copy of red squirrel SAP to the Tayside, Cairngorm and Highland Biodiversity LBAP Partnerships. 1, 5 LBAP LBAP * LBAP 2002 H
  Attend Scottish Squirrel Group meetings. 1, 5 GSG GSG * GSG Ongoing M
11. Promote research Identify and promote future research topics on red and grey squirrel ecology, distribution and management techniques. 3 FC,
SNH,
LBAP,
GSG		 GSG ? ? 2002 - ongoing M
12. Monitor and review the delivery of SAP target achievements. Monitor success of actions from red squirrel SAP annually and in detail every 5 years. 2, 3, 4 GSG,
LBAP		 GSG * LBAP Annually M
Review and direct new actions as required through the Grampian Squirrel Group. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 GSG,
FC,
LBAP		 GSG * GSG Ongoing & 2005 M

* Indicates actions that can be achieved at low cost as part of existing activities.

Key

ACP - Aberdeen Countryside Project, FC - Forestry Commission, FWAG - Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group, GSG - Grampian Squirrel Group, LA - Local Authority, LBAP - Local Biodiversity Action Plan, NESBReC - North East Scotland Biological Records Centre, SNH - Scottish Natural Heritage, SWT - Scottish Wildlife Trust