About Us
The Red Squirrels in South Scotland Project was launched in 2000 with the appointment of two Red Squirrel Conservation Officers. During the past eight years the project has been managed by the Southern Uplands Partnership, a charity working to promote an integrated and sustainable approach to rural development and land use in Scotland’s Southern Uplands. These eight years saw the profile of red squirrels raised throughout the region and the development of 24 Red Squirrel Priority Woodlands in southern Scotland.
The project works closely with various groups that aim to conserve the red squirrel: Red Alert South West Scotland in Dumfries and Galloway; Borders Squirrel Management Group in the Scottish Borders; Ayrshire Red Squirrel Group; and, Red Alert North East and Red Alert North West who operate in northern England.
In August 2008 Phase IV of the RSSS project was launched. This new phase of the project is being carried out in partnership with the Scottish Wildlife Trust who launched their Saving Scotland's Red Squirrel project earlier this year. New partnerships have also been formed with Scottish Natural Heritage and the Forestry Commission, as well as considerable input from the private sector. Our current efforts are now focussed on halting the spread of the deadly Squirrelpox virus that threatens to decimate Scotland’s red squirrel population.
‘We will strive to maintain Scotland as the UK’s stronghold for red squirrels by controlling the incursion of pox carrying greys and promoting best practice forest management throughout the south’.
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