RED SQUIRREL CHARITY WELCOMES GOVERNMENT BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY
The recently launched Biodiversity Strategy for England, which highlights the government’s approach to biodiversity and species conservation in England, has been welcomed by the UK’s leading red squirrel charity.
The Red Squirrel Survival Trust (RSST) welcomes the government’s stand on biodiversity, which places great emphasis on partnership working and empowerment of communities. Both of these strands are already proving powerful tools for red squirrel conservation, notably with the Red Squirrel Northern England project, where over 1500 volunteers have been co-ordinating their efforts to work together right across the north of the country.
The charity is also keen to highlight and welcome the Government’s appreciation of the benefits of data collection and quality monitoring within conservation projects as it sees this as vital in its work to save a species which is threatened with extinction.
RSST Chief Executive Janet Wickens said, ‘The Biodiversity Strategy for England is a very welcome step towards what RSST perceives as conservation best practice. Often the most valuable conservation work, alongside its associated monitoring and reporting, is carried out by volunteers, and it is great to see this being acknowledged and encouraged by the government.’
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Notes for Editors
About red squirrels
Around 75% of the 120,000 red squirrels remaining in the UK are found in Scotland. In England, reds can still be found in Cumbria, Northumberland, North Yorkshire, Merseyside and the Isle of Wight.
Reds died out many years ago from their former southern strongholds of Thetford Forest in Norfolk and Cannock Chase in Staffordshire. However, a project aiming to reintroduce the species to Cornwall is underway which hopes to bring red squirrels back to southern England in the next five years.
About the Red Squirrel Survival Trust
The Red Squirrel Survival Trust (RSST) is a UK charity established to ensure the conservation and protection of the red squirrel in the UK. Its Patron is HRH The Prince of Wales and its ambassadors are Alan Titchmarsh, Sir Chris Bonington and Eric Robson.
RSST works in partnership with dedicated and knowledgeable local groups around the country. It aims to protect red squirrels by keeping reds and greys apart, stabilising new and existing populations, funding research to secure the red squirrel’s long-term future and raising awareness of the plight of the red squirrel.
For more information about RSST, visit www.rsst.org.uk.
Contact details
Helena Stroud
Red Squirrel Survival Trust
Delta House
175-177 Borough High Street
London
SE1 1HR
T: 020 7864 1444
Contact details
Helena Stroud
Red Squirrel Survival Trust
Delta House
175-177 Borough High Street
London
SE1 1HR
T: 020 7864 1444