Whinlatter Forest Park Launched as a flagship Red Squirrel Reserve
Whinlatter is one of the few places in England that still has a good population of red squirrels and is ideally suited to the species due to the way the forest is managed. It is one of Cumbria's larger forests (1,200ha) and is largely coniferous, the habitat that is better suited to red squirrels than their American grey cousins.
The Forestry Commission has teamed up with Save Our Squirrels to create new facilities that will offer visitors a great opportunity to see, enjoy and learn about red squirrels in the wild. The new facilities include an interactive indoor Red Squirrel Experience where visitors can learn about this endangered mammal. There is also a new Squirrel Scurry trail, which will give people more opportunities to understand and see red squirrels in the surrounding forest.
Lord Clark of Windermere, who opened the new reserve, said: "Red squirrels are one of our best loved native animals, yet sadly they are seriously under threat. The Forestry Commission has managed Whinlatter as a red squirrel reserve for the last three years and was pleased to gain the support of Save our Squirrels to install these new facilities which recognise that we have made an important step in helping to protect them. The Forestry Commission will ensure that the habitat at Whinlatter continues to favour red squirrels and work to provide new ways for people to learn more about these popular animals."
Squirrel Trail
The Squirrel Scurry trail will include a new squirrel rope bridge, a series of squirrel sculptures and a number of feeders to give people more chance to spot red squirrels. Several local volunteers, organised by Save Our Squirrels, are taking it in turns to fill the feeders twice a week.
A trail map provides details about red squirrel habitats, food, threats and conservation. On completing the route children will receive a red squirrel mask or a badge.
Visitor Centre
Inside the visitor centre there are new displays about the red squirrel and people will be able to access additional information on the Save Our Squirrels website. There is also a beautiful carved wooden picture board, depicting a woodland scene, which was produced with help from children at Borrowdale Primary School.
Habitat Improvement
As well as providing the new facilities for visitors, the Forestry Commission has also been taking steps to make the Red Squirrel habitat at Whinlatter Forest even better, with a mixed age structure and range of conifer species and by not planting large seeded broadleaves. Grey squirrel control is also undertaken as a key part of sustaining the last remaining populations of reds.
Red Squirrels
Red Squirrels usually have russet red fur, although coat colour can vary with some reds appearing very grey. They are small with ear tufts, while grey squirrels are stockier and rounder. They spend much of their time in the tree canopy but telltale signs to look for include large dreys in trees, scratch marks on bark, and chewed pine cones that look like chewed apple cores.
Red Squirrels usually produce 2 to 3 young, called kittens, in the spring but litters can occasionally include as many as 6 kittens. Sometimes they can also produce a second litter in the summer if conditions are right.
Save Our Squirrels
Created by Red Alert North England, the Save our Squirrels project is currently the largest single species conservation initiative in the UK. The aim of the project is to deliver the North of England Red Squirrel Conservation Strategy by protecting and conserving the Red Squirrel, focusing on 16 designated Red Squirrel reserves in northern England.
In addition to Whinlatter, there are two other flagship Red Squirrel Reserves at Sefton in Merseyside and Kielder in Northumberland.
Save our Squirrels receives 56 per cent of its current funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, with additional support from Red Alert North England, a public-private partnership of organisations interested in the conservation of Red Squirrels on mainland England; corporate sponsorship; and donations from individuals, including HRH The Prince of Wales.
The project also receives support for its activities in Cumbria through an innovative visitor payback scheme operated by the Tourism Conservation Partnership, and the support of the Furness Building Society.