A pilot scheme, thought to be the first of its kind in the UK, is set to begin in Aberdeen this weekend (2 October 2010) to encourage city dwellers to report when and where they see squirrels in the city by sending a text message from their mobile phone. 

Aiming to collect data on squirrel distribution in Aberdeen to help wildlife experts get a better picture of the population size and movements of both squirrel species, reports of red and grey squirrel sightings can be made by texting the word RED or GREY and where it was spotted – which could simply be a postcode, city street name or park name, followed by your own name – to 88802. 

Running for two weeks to encompass Red Squirrel Week, a nationwide initiative taking place from 2 to 10 October, ‘Text-A-Squirrel’ is the brain child of Hollie Walker, the North East Scotland Project Officer for Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels, a project led by the Scottish Wildlife Trust in partnership with Scottish Natural Heritage, Forestry Commission Scotland and the Scottish Rural Property and Business Association.  

Walker said:  “As far as we know, this is the first time a scheme like this has been used to collect records on the movements of wild animals.  Most people carry a mobile phone when they are out and about in the city, so we hope that the ease of texting will encourage more people to report their sighting when they spot a red or grey squirrel.  And, as an added incentive, 30 entrants picked at random at the end of the campaign will also receive a specialist red squirrel book as a thank you for reporting their sightings. 

“We have the atypical situation in Aberdeen of both red and grey squirrel populations still living within close proximity in the city centre.  We know that small pockets of red squirrels are thriving in Hazlehead as well as in the woods of Foggieton and Countesswells just north of Bieldside, Craibstone, and Milltimber, Bieldside and Cults.  There are even thought to be some in Seaton Park next to the University of Aberdeen.

“A surprising recent red squirrel sighting in Forest Avenue indicates just how close to the city centre red squirrels are. We are keen to find out more areas where red squirrels are appearing in the city.

“This situation is unusual, as in most other cities in the UK, the presence of the grey squirrel has led to the almost complete eradication of red squirrel populations which used to live there.  However, with grey squirrels only being present in the north east since 1970, our red squirrels are still present here.  

“Our efforts in Aberdeen to protect the city’s remaining red squirrels and ensure that grey squirrels do not spread further north to jeopardise the red squirrels in the Highlands are essential to protecting the future of red squirrels in Scotland. 

“We must act now to maintain a barrier between thriving red squirrel populations and the grey squirrels which out-compete our native species and are the main cause of the red squirrels decline.  This will allow red squirrels to thrive and their numbers to expand.” 

Alister Clunas from Aberdeen Greenspace Trust, a supporting funder of Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels, said:  “Aberdeen Greenspace is pleased to be a partner in funding this important project to promote red squirrel conservation in North East Scotland. This is a great opportunity for the public to become involved in the project by reporting squirrel sightings. We hope that the results will show the red squirrels colonising new areas of the city.”

Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrel’s three project officers, based in the North East, Tayside, and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, are all running red squirrel events to celebrate this year’s Red Squirrel Week.  For more information, visit www.scottishsquirrels.org.uk. 

***Ends***

Images provided for use with credit for this purpose only © Scottish Wildlife Trust

Hollie Walker, Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrel’s Project Officer for the North East, is pictured in the images.   

For more information or additional images, please contact:
Nicola McGovern, the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s PR and Communications Manager
Email: nmcgovern@swt.org.uk
Tel:  0131 312 4742
 

Notes to Editors
• Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels aims to stop the decline of red squirrel populations in key areas of Scotland north of the Central Belt and to improve conditions for viable red squirrel populations across Scotland.  It is a partnership project between the Scottish Wildlife Trust, Scottish Natural Heritage, Forestry Commission Scotland and the Scottish Rural Property and Business Association. It is part of Scotland's Species Action Framework, which sets out a strategic approach to species management in Scotland.  For more information, visit www.swt.org.uk. 
• The Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT) is a registered charity. It is the largest voluntary body working for all the wildlife of Scotland, representing more than 34,000 members who care for wildlife and the environment. SWT seeks to raise public awareness of threatened habitats and species and manages over 120 wildlife reserves Scotland-wide. www.swt.org.ukScottish Natural Heritage is the Scottish Government's statutory advisor on conserving, enhancing, enjoying, understanding and sustainably using natural heritage. For more information on SNH, see www.snh.gov.uk
•  Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) serves as the forestry directorate of the Scottish Government, advising on and implementing forestry policy and managing the national forest estate.  FCS is ensuring that the national forest estate plays its part in delivering the aims of project Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels.
• The Scottish Rural Property and Business Association (SRPBA) is the leading representative body for all land and rural property owners and land-based businesses in Scotland.  It is a membership organisation comprising rural entrepreneurs, individuals and businesses that operate in rural Scotland.  www.srpba.com
• In addition to financial support from the project partners, the SSRS project has received funding from a range of sources including the Albert George and Nancy Caroline Youngman Trust, Dulverton Trust, Englefield Charitable Trust, HDH Wills 1965 Charitable Trust, Lascelles Charitable Trust, Martin Connell Charitable Trust, Mitchell Trust, People’s Postcode Lottery, Robert O Curle Charitable Trust, Talteg Ltd and the Tennant Southpark Charitable Trust
• The work of SSRS in the North East has been specifically funded by Aberdeen Greenspace, Biffaward, Rural Aberdeenshire LEADER, and the Red Squirrel Survival Trust.
• Aberdeen Greenspace Trust Limited works with individuals, communities, businesses and organisations in and around the city of Aberdeen to develop access, increase biodiversity, carry out landscape improvements and provide information and interpretation. The trust is supported by Aberdeen City Council, Forestry Commission Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage, all of whom nominate Directors to the trust. The company is enrolled as an Environmental Body with ENTRUST (Environmental Trust Scheme Regulatory Body), the government’s Landfill Community Fund Regulator.
• In 1997 Biffa Waste Services agreed to donate landfill tax credits to the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT) to administer under the fund name Biffaward. Grants made from the fund currently amount to £100 million, supporting many worthwhile projects. Biffa Waste Services Limited is one of the largest single suppliers of waste management services in the UK.  It collects, treats, recovers and disposes of municipal, commercial and industrial waste nationwide.  It is ultimately owned by a private equity consortium comprising Montagu Private Equity, Global Infrastructure Partners, Uberior Co-Investments Limited and other co-investors www.biffaward.org
• LEADER is an innovative rural development programme which aims to improve the quality of life and economic prosperity in rural communities through locally driven rural development initiatives and projects.  In Aberdeenshire, LEADER is delivered by the Rural Aberdeenshire LAG to rural areas and communities with populations of up to 5,000. The Rural Aberdeenshire LAG is a Public/Private partnership comprising fourteen member organisations and focuses on two key themes, namely Revitalising Communities and Progressive Rural Economy. 
• The Red Squirrel Survival Trust (RSST), whose Patron is HRH The Prince of Wales, is a UK charity established to ensure the conservation and protection of the red squirrel in the UK. RSST works in partnership with dedicated and knowledgeable local groups and projects around the country.  RSST is providing support to the North East component of the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels (SSRS) project. This is part of RSST’s wider scheme to protect the red squirrels of Scotland – RSST also supports RSSS.
• Red Squirrels in South Scotland Project (RSSS) is the sister project to SSRS working to stem the spread of pox carrying grey squirrels in south Scotland for the protection of red squirrels.  Squirrelpox is a virus fatal to red squirrels but harmless to the grey squirrels which carry and spread it.  Grey squirrels migrating north from Cumbria are bringing squirrelpox to Scotland.  The work of RSSS is therefore essential to Scotland’s red squirrel population as a whole and to maintain southern Scotland as a stronghold for our native red. RSSS has been conducting and promoting grey squirrel control since 2000. www.redsquirrels.org.uk. 
• Grampian Squirrel Group has existed for about 9 years in various forms and throughout that time has been working to help protect the red squirrel in Grampian from its grey cousin and envirommental degradation. It consists of a dedicated group of volunteers who have been helping to promote the red squirrels plight and to recruit like minded people to conduct formal surveys in red habitat. www.grampiansquirrelgroup.co.uk.