Home / Environment / Red Squirrels Get £5m Land Boost
Red Squirrels Get £5m Land Boost
27 May
Summary
- Charity seeks £5m to acquire vital land for red squirrels.
- Land acquisition is a 'once in a lifetime opportunity'.
- Red squirrel population has seen a drastic decline in UK.
The Woodland Trust is spearheading a £5 million fundraising initiative to purchase 348 acres of land in Snaizeholme Valley. This land is considered a vital habitat for the native red squirrel population, which faces significant threats. The charity has a two-year window to raise the £4.86 million required for the acquisition.
Red squirrels are endangered in England and Wales, primarily due to grey squirrels carrying squirrelpox. Snaizeholme Valley, located within the Yorkshire Dales National Park, is a designated grey squirrel exclusion zone. The Woodland Trust aims to create a more connected and resilient landscape through this land purchase and ongoing habitat restoration efforts.
The UK's red squirrel population has dramatically decreased from an estimated 3.5 million to around 287,000. The initiative seeks to ensure these native animals have the best possible chance to thrive by expanding and protecting their habitats. The new land includes commercial conifer plantations and hillside areas adjacent to existing trust-owned property.
