Last December, Forestry Commission Scotland received strong support for the concept of establishing a series of red squirrel strongholds across Scotland.

In it's responce to a consultation earlier last year, the Commission is leading work to plan and manage 18 stronghold sites that will help to safeguard the country's surviving red squirrel populations.

Juliet is now part of a stakeholder group which will take forward plans to develop guidance for land managers.  The guidance will help in the management of strongold areas in balance with other objectives, including increasing wider wildlife benefits from woodlands. 

Each proposed strongold is at least 2000 hectares in size.  This means around 100,000 ha of the best forest sites in Scotland will be managed as refuges for red squirrels, focusing on ensuring food supplies for reds (from cone bearing conifers) and resitricting food sources perferred by greys (large seeded broadleaves). 

Forestry Commission Scotland will work with landowners and local communities, aiming to finalise stronghold maps and develop suitable management plans in all the 18 locations proposed in the consultation - see link below. 

For  further information on the development of stronghold sites and the full responcse by Forestry Commission Scotland to the consultation, click on this link.