Bringing pine marten back
We are working with Sussex Wildlife Trust, Wildwood Trust, Ashdown Forest, and Forestry England to assess the feasibility and possibility of restoring pine martens (Martes martes) to the South East of England.
We would like to see the restoration of pine martens back to the South East of England as they are part of Britain’s natural fauna and play important ecological roles that contribute to a biodiverse environment by dispersing the seeds of the fruits they eat as well as influencing small mammal populations through predation as part of their varied diet.
Evidence from Ireland and Scotland suggests that where there are high numbers of pine martens, grey squirrel numbers are lower or decreasing, whilst red squirrel numbers are increasing. This trend is seen within as little as 15 years of pine martens recolonising an area.
There is evidence from diet analysis that pine martens do eat grey squirrels. Pine martens will occasionally predate red squirrels, however, red squirrels are small and agile and hard to catch compared to the grey squirrel, which are larger and slower. In addition to their abundance, grey squirrels spend more time on the ground, so are likely to be an easier prey item for pine martens.
Therefore, having a natural predator back in the ecosystem which may help to reduce grey squirrel numbers could not only pave the way for red squirrels in the South East of England as well, but reduce the impacts of tree damage.
This project is in its early stages. We are currently determining whether the habitat in the South East is suitable for pine martens, and are talking to a range of local people and stakeholders about how they feel about pine martens and their potential reintroduction through ecological and social feasibility studies.