As someone who yearns for the thriving wildlife I recall from my younger years, I recognize the urgent need for change to restore some of our lost species. The iconic Red Squirrel is among those severely affected by environmental shifts and human disruptions. The Red Squirrel was once common across the UK, but there has been a sharp decline in their numbers in recent decades. According to the Wildlife Trusts, the population has drastically reduced from approximately 3.5 million in the 1950s to around 140,000 today (source: The Wildlife Trusts). 

This dramatic decline is largely due to habitat loss and competition with the more adaptable non-native Grey Squirrels. These issues are compounded by a pox virus carried by Grey Squirrels, which is fatal to the indigenous Red Squirrels. The Red Squirrels are a valuable thread in the rich tapestry of our native woodland ecology and it is crucial that we safeguard their future.

I am proposing the reintroduction and rewilding of Red Squirrels back into the heartlands of Britain. In doing so, the biodiversity of our woodlands will renew and flourish, instilling a vibrant lifeforce within our landscape that will delight the inhabitants of this great nation. Let us take a strong stand for nature. Together, we can initiate change and reconstruct a future where wildlife like the Red Squirrels cease to merely survive, but truly thrive. Please join me in urging for the reintroduction of the Red Squirrels into Britain again. Each signature takes us a step closer to the England brimming with nature’s energy as it used to be. Let's sign and make this happen, for nature, for the Red Squirrels, and for us.

Fortunately, there are ongoing efforts to reintroduce red squirrels to various regions in the UK. One notable project is led by Trees for Life, an organisation dedicated to restoring native ecosystems. Since 2016, they have successfully translocated over 200 red squirrels to create new populations in the northwest Highlands of Scotland. These efforts have been met with success, and the new populations are thriving. The project aims to create 14 new red squirrel populations in the northwest Highlands, ensuring their survival and eventual range expansion. By building strong relationships with local communities, landowners, and project partners, Trees for Life hopes to secure the long-term success of this rewilding initiative.

However, there is still work to be done. The grey squirrel was introduced to the UK from North America in 1876 and its population has grown rapidly. Today, there could be as many as 3 million grey squirrels and this number continues to grow. In the 1940s, red squirrels could be found in almost every area that subsequently became a designated landscape. Now, the red squirrel population is thought to be no higher than 120,000, with only about 15,000 in England.  

The grey squirrels need controlling because they cause major economic and environmental damage to our woodlands. Grey squirrels strip bark. When they strip a complete ring of bark, the tree will die. Any damage to the bark can evidently also expose trees to other diseases, which are increasingly prevalent due to climate change. Dying trees will not be helpful to the environment and carbon dioxide will not be reduced. The grey squirrel colonisation has significant consequences for our native red squirrels, particularly through the spread of squirrelpox virus. It can take only one grey squirrel to introduce this virus to a local population of red squirrels, which can spread throughout the reds with devastating effect.

To preserve red squirrels, they must be kept apart from grey squirrels as the two species cannot live together long term. The grey squirrels have replaced red squirrels across almost all of England and Wales.

Let's revive wildlife!

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