Red squirrel sightings have doubled at a military range – thanks to work to boost numbers of another species.
The Ministry of Defence’s Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has joined forces with Dumfries and Galloway Pine Marten Group on a conservation project at Kirkcudbright Training Area in recent months.
They’ve been working to boost numbers of pine martens – a natural predator of squirrels which red squirrels are more cautious of than greys, giving the native species a chance to thrive.
DIO’s deputy training safety officer, WO2 Scott Maclean, said: “There has been a notable increase of red squirrel activity across the estate at Kirkcudbright, roughly double the number of sightings over the last few months in five or six separate locations.
“There have also been several sightings of pine martens by Kirkcudbright Training Centre staff and members of the public in the Balmae Lake area. The presence of pine martens is clearly having a beneficial impact on the red squirrel population at Kirkcudbright.”
Introducing pine martins is one of a number of conservation projects aimed at controlling grey squirrel populations in a non-lethal way.
The Kirkcudbright scheme benefitted from a grant from DIO’s Convservation Stewardship Fund to install 12 pine marten den boxes, which replicate large tree cavities and form a safe area for the animals.
(Image: Alan McFadyen)
There was evidence of pine martens in the area but it was mainly migratory, with the den boxes designed to help a permanent population develop.
The work is also part of a wider project to rejuvenate the training area’s Balmae Lake.
Non-native plant species such as rhododendron, montbretia and bamboo have been removed and replaced with Scottish wildflowers, which it is hoped will increase the number and diversity of insects in the area.
DIO’s principal ecologist, Oliver Howells, said: “Our ecologists, as well as dedicated training safety officers such as Scott, are working hard to deliver military training requirements while at the same time supporting the recovery of some of the most threatened and iconic species in the UK. Wildlife continues to thrive across our training areas, and there are many examples of how priority species are flourishing alongside military activities.
“The rise in red squirrel numbers at Kirkcudbright is a great example and a real success story.”
