The first important point to make relating to any tree felling, is that it should not be carried out during the part of the red squirrel breeding season when young squirrels are in nests. This is typically from February through to early October.

The second key point is that individual woodland operations must be part of a clearly defined stategy to conserve red squirrels. Thsi should cover thinning, replantaing schedules and clear-felling. We are currently opposed to extensive clearfell operations being carried out in red squirrel habitat, but we recognise that circumstances arise where there may not be any alternative management prescription. Where clearfelling is undertaken, it is important that the site is restocked with tree species that, when mature, will provide favourable foraging habitat for red squirrels. We advocate the use of lodgepole and Scots pine, larch and hazel.

(top of page)

Thinning can benefit red squirrels providing it is carried out carefully. It is true that it can produce inidvidual trees with deeper crowns and which yield larger seed crops. But it is equally the case that heavy thinning can fragment the canopy to such an extent that red squirrels find it difficult to move from tree to tree. In woodlands containing red squirrels we work with the Forestry Commission during the planning and execution of thinning programmes. Detailed inspection of proposals, and site inspection, enables us to minimise the adverse effect of thinning work upon the red squirrels. Vibrant and active partnership with the has proved to be successful in order to achieve a balance between commercial forest operations and the requirements of the red squirrel.

(top of page)

Newborough forest is a large pine plantation established on old sand dunes. In 2004, the Countryside Council for Wales put forward proposals to clearfell large areas of Newborough forest in order to create open dune habitat. We believe that, on the balance of the available evidence, the removal of large areas of Newborough forest in an attempt to recreate mobile sand dune habitats would be unjustified. The forest is one of the few remaining Welsh woodlands with red squirrels and it is also the most easily to defend from grey squirrel invasion because of its geographical isolation and coastal location.