Chamber and committees

Forestry and Land Scotland reduce impacts on red squirrel by scheduling operations to avoid the breeding season in areas that are thought to hold higher than average densities of red squirrels. Prior to any harvesting operation, a pre-operational survey is carried out to assess the extent of use of the felling coupe by red squirrels, and to locate squirrel dreys.

If red squirrels are identified as being present, various mitigation may be enacted, such as retaining drey trees, avoiding areas with dreys until after the breeding season, and directional felling to slowly usher adults and kits into adjacent stands. During operations machine operators are required to report any dreys felled with kits in them. No such reports have been made in 2024 or 2023 seasons.

It is impossible to know with certainty whether in fact any kits are killed each year , for example if unobserved dreys are felled, which are consequently unreported by machine operators. FLS have therefore calculated a hypothetical maximum assuming worst case scenarios in all assumptions. Based on the current felling and harvesting programme, the potential numbers for a) 2024 and b) 2025, is:

a) 903 (or 1.2% of the estimated population of kits in Scotland)

b) 876 (or 1.17% of the estimated population of kits in Scotland)

This will change as the programme is adjusted and finalised.

Only a small proportion of the theoretical deaths of squirrel kits due to forest operations would be extra mortality, as over 70% of young kits naturally die during their first winter.

As outlined in response to question S6W-14224 on 24 January 2023 it remains a priority for the Scottish Government to ensure the important work undertaken by Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels continues. NatureScot, Scottish Forestry and Forestry and Land Scotland are currently providing core funding for the roles of the Grey Squirrel Officers (GSOs) as part of the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels partnership project.

The Scottish Government and partners will continue to be involved in discussions on taking forward the work currently being undertaken by Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

NatureScot has worked with partners on red squirrel conservation, including work to control grey squirrels, for many years. In particular, the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrel (SSRS) partnership project has been working in strategic areas to protect, maintain and promote existing red squirrel populations since 2007. With support from project staff, professional Grey Squirrel Officers (GSOs) have been working with volunteers and landowners to deliver strategic grey squirrel control.

NatureScot, Scottish Forestry and Forestry and Land Scotland are currently providing core funding for these roles. It remains a priority for the Scottish Government to ensure the important work undertaken by Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels continues.

The control of invasive non-native species is already a priority in the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy which states that a key aim for the Strategy is that by 2045:

“Harmful invasive non-native species (INNS) will be managed so that established INNS no longer degrade native habitats and species or impede their restoration and regeneration and new introductions are managed quickly and effectively”

The Strategy will be supported by a delivery plan which will set our approach to tackling INNS in Scotland, including the grey squirrel.

NatureScot, the key statutory agency for delivering the Biodiversity Strategy states in its business plan for 2022-23 that it will:

“Deliver invasive non-native species controls and reduce the biodiversity impacts of established invasive non-native species”

Work on the ground at present includes Scottish Government to support the work of Local Action Groups including the Scottish Invasive Species Initiative (SISI), an ambitious 5-year partnership project led by NatureScot that is tackling invasive non-native species alongside rivers and water courses in an area of 29,500km2 within northern Scotland.

The Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrel project has been running since 2008. The Developing Community Action phase of the project is due to run until April 2022.

Partners have agreed that that essential elements of the community action phase will need to continue and hence partners have also agreed to develop an interim phase to bridge the gap to develop a longer term model for continuing to support these activities. NatureScot is working with partners to assess the key outcomes and costs for this interim phase, and will look to provide a funding contribution once these costs and priorities are clear.

NatureScott considers that securing the legacy of this project is a priority given the importance of red squirrels in Scotland’s native wildlife.

The Scottish Government is committed to enhancing biodiversity and to protecting vulnerable species in Scotland.

Following the conclusion of the seventh Quinquennial Review the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) will submit recommendations for potential changes to the animals and plants listed under schedules 5 and 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, to the UK Government and the devolved administrations. The Scottish Government will carefully consider any recommendations made by the JNCC. However, before deciding whether to make any changes to the animals listed under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, we would have to be satisfied that in doing so there would be no detrimental impact to either the individual species or to the wider biodiversity and environmental landscape in Scotland.