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According to the Forestry Commission, there are estimated to be only 140,000 red squirrels left in Britain, with over 2.5 million greys. Mallerstang is one of the few areas with a viable population of our native species. We need to be on our guard and to do what we can to preserve and protect our small population, because they are still under threat from grey invaders. |
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Good Squirrel News! We seem to
have had a really good breeding season in 2009, with known sites of at least three families of young squirrels around Outhgill and Shoregill. If you spot any young ones elsewhere in the valley please let me (Margaret White) know. If you are lucky enough to see one please let Margaret White know on 017683 72228 - or email: redsquirrels.mallerstang@virgin.net
These are what we are looking out for: - |
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| Looking for a Good Site & Collecting Nesting Material ~ Photos by ZACE Photographic | ||
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| The Young Acrobats ~ Photos by Sue Bradley | |
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| How Do I Get Those Nuts?
~ Photos by Margaret White
And let Margaret know if you would like to buy feeders, or hazelnuts to fill them - as bulk buying will make them cheaper. |
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Bad Squirrel News
We are not certain of the cause but it may be the result of poor hygiene in our feeders so please clean them regularly.
We may have to raise funds for this - if you want to buy Margaret’s squirrel cards you will be helping boost our funds. |
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So here is a plea
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A New Project...
We have already erected a rope bridge (see below), so squirrels can cross the road safely in Outhgill, put up road warning signs at each end of the valley, and planted squirrel-friendly trees on the Travers Institute site... We would now like to find a good place where we can plant some conifers which provide both food and shelter for our red squirrels. So, if you have a spare piece of land and you would like some trees, please let us know. Contact Margaret at: redsquirrels.mallerstang@virgin.net |
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If you would like any further information or want to report sightings of red squirrels, contact: Margaret White (Old Chapel, Outhgill)
Tel: 017683 72228 redsquirrels.mallerstang@virgin.net
If you see a grey intruder, please try to contact (a.s.a.p.) Stuart Marston (Deepgill) on 017683 72319.
Stuart has volunteered to dispatch greys - please also let Margaret know of any sightings.
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Other Red Squirrel Links If you come across similar local groups, and/or other sites giving general red squirrel information that would be useful to display here, let me know and I will add some links. Forestry Commission Red Squirrel website:: www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/Redsquirrel UK Red Squirrels (Joint Nature Conservation website):: www.ukredsquirrels.org Save Our Squirrels (Red Alert north England Project): www.saveoursquirrels.org.uk A local group from Northumberland: www.pontelandredsquirrels.co.uk Red Squirrel Article on Wikipedia: Wikipedia article
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One of our earlier Projects: Article on the front page of Cumberland & Westmorland Herald 29 May 2004
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Text of article: Safe road crossing for red squirrels in unique havenTHE valley of Mallerstang this week became the proud owner of a red squirrel rope bridge in the ongoing fight to protect the threatened species. The specially spliced bridge was installed above the B6259 in the village of Outhgill on Wednesday, and Mrs. Annie HamiltonGibney, chairman and founder of Mallerstang red squirrel protection committee, said: "We hope the addition of the rope bridge will mean an end to the needless loss of red squirrel lives at this point of the road in Outhgill." The committee was set up in June last year by Mrs. Hamilton-Gibney, bringing together many concerned residents of the valley following a spate of red squirrel road deaths on the B6259 in the small village of Outhgill. CORRIDOR "We were becoming increasingly aware of the fact that our valley provides a hugely significant corridor from the southern grey squirrel-dominated region and the remaining red area to the north," said Mrs. Hamilton-Gibney. "We came to realise that protecting the lives of our red squirrels could help maintain the population in the region, reducing the relentless onslaught of the greys. Shortly after we were established, Red Alert Cumbria Wildlife Trust NW designated the valley as an official refuge site, which makes it unique, as it is the only refuge area which doesn't contain a large percentage of coniferous forest. Red Alert has supported and advised us with all our plans. "We decided to install a rope bridge at the road death hotspot, as well as road warning signs at various strategic points of the valley, and the development of squirrel protection areas. "A plot of land in the village, once the site of the Travers Institute, is held in trust for the benefit of the valley. This will be designated as a squirrel protection area. The walls are to be made good, a bench and feeding boxes will be installed, and some squirrel friendly trees will be planted. WARNING SIGNS "Neil Buck, at Cumbria County Council, has given us permission to install four red triangular road warning signs later in the year, the wording ‘red squirrels’ beneath. We wanted them to depict squirrels, like the ones at Warcop and Appleby, but were not allowed. "According to the Transport Department, a picture of a squirrel will confuse and distract drivers, so we will only be allowed to install exclamation marks!" The project has been funded by donations from people of the valley, the sale of red squirrel cards, courtesy of Red Alert Wildlife Trust NW, and donations from Cumbria County Council, arranged by local councillor Tim Stoddard. It also received a neighbourhood development grant of £200, while North Eastern and Cumbrian Co-op Dividend Fund donated £255, and another £100 came from the Conservation Foundation Parish Pump Priming Award. The bridge was installed without charge, but with much skill and expertise, by Paul Holroyd and Nick Venning, of Eden Conservation. Bruce Baldwin, of Lux Traffic Management, volunteered his time and road signs to control the traffic while the bridge was being suspended across the road. The rope, which had to be more than 20 metres high to avoid all risk to traffic, was specially spliced in Gateshead by Nationwide Splicing and Rope Services, and is composed of two 27-metre ropes with a smaller rope zigzagging along the length to provide a ladder effect. Previously, bridges have been installed in forested areas, so the squirrels were able to access the structure at tree level. The east end of the bridge is be in a spruce tree in a small wood, but the west side is situated in an ash tree which squirrels first have to climb. IMPROVISATION "We have added guide ropes from ground level to the bridge, and coated them with peanut butter in the hope this will attract them up the tree," said Mrs. Hamilton-Gibney. "We were going to use pecan oil that acts as squirrel nip, but this comes from America and unfortunately could not arrive in time, so we had to improvise. "Once at the top, they will find feeding boxes at each end of the bridge. These have been cunningly devised by two of our committee members, Simon Etheridge and David White, and are Heath Robinson type gadgets on a pulley system, so they can be raised and lowered for refilling." Janet Davies, who owns the land on which both the trees stand, has volunteered to restock the boxes. "We hope that once our squirrels have established the bridge as a safe route, they will teach their young, and so it will help generations of squirrels to come," added Mrs. Hamilton-Gibney. |
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