Solway Forests Red Squirrel Network

The Solway Forests Red Squirrel Network area is encompassed by the A710 and the A711 from Dumfries westwards to Auchencairn. Within this area is a mixture of private and publicly owned forests. Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) is the main landowner in our area and has been managing the public estate since 1920 across over 5000 hectares of forests from Mabie forest in the east to Dalbeattie forest in the west.  Throughout the area are also a number of privately owned plantations and native woodlands. Together this woodland resource provides habitat for our red squirrels which thrive on the seeds of mixed conifer and pines such as Norway spruce and Scots pine and on the fruits, nuts and buds of small-leaved native broadleaves such as rowan, hazel and birch.   The Scottish Wildlife Trust first designated Priority Areas for Red Squirrel Conservation (PARCs) across southern Scotland in 2014.

The Solway Forest red squirrel volunteer network formed in August 2017 when a number of local residents became concerned about the red squirrel population. There were increasing reports of grey squirrels in the area which are a threat to the local red squirrels because they drive them out of their habitat and pass on the fatal squirrel pox disease.

The Solway forests still support a red squirrel population which attracts tourists and is highly valued by local residents and many locals understand the need to take action to protect them from further decline. More recently, we have seen an increase in grey incursion across our area and on our borders east, west and north. The main incursion is south-west of Dumfries and around the village of New Abbey which is geographically connected with populations in north England.

Since our inception in 2017 the Network’s volunteers have been conducting surveys to gain a better understanding of red and grey squirrel distribution and have organised a series of fundraising and community engagement events throughout the area and in support of our objective to ensure the long-term protection of the region’s red squirrel population.