Pine martens thrown a lifeline in the Lake District

Now a project led by the University of Cumbria has thrown a lifeline to the few remaining pine martens in the south of the county. It has released 13 healthy adults (eight females and five males) in Forestry England’s Grizedale Forest and the Rusland Valley. The animals were moved recently under licence from strong populations in the Scottish Highlands*.

In Cumbria, a growing movement of landowners and conservation groups share a vision to restore nature by returning native species as the building blocks of healthy ecosystems. Twenty years ago, many species were endangered or completely absent in south Cumbria.

Pine martens now share the landscape with other reintroduced species such as red kites and beavers. Crucially, researchers believe that pine martens will assist another well-loved native species – the red squirrel. The red squirrel is part of Cumbria’s natural and cultural heritage but despite much good work by local groups, the species is declining and threatened by squirrel pox virus - a deadly disease transmitted by the growing number of non-native grey squirrels.

Dr Mic Mayhew, University of Cumbria researcher and lead of the South Cumbria Pine Marten Recovery Project (SCPMRP), said: “To save our red squirrels we will have to use all available methods to control grey squirrels including ongoing culling and the development of oral contraceptives, but pine martens are a vital nature-based part of the solution.

“Despite concerns by some about the impact of pine martens on remaining red squirrel populations, all the evidence indicates that where pine martens co-exist with red and grey squirrels, they can reduce grey squirrel numbers and allow the reds to thrive.”

As the first of two releases, the SCPMRP hopes that by returning some pine martens to their ancestral woodland homes, populations will be able to grow once the animals have set up new territories and start to breed.

The released pine martens will be monitored by volunteers, vets and students from the University of Cumbria using radio-tracking techniques and remote camera traps to assess their health, establish how far they travel and identify breeding events. A network of den boxes has been installed throughout the region to provide secure breeding sites for the pine martens next spring.

Above: University of Cumbria students and volunteers checking camera traps in the release area in south Cumbria.

Dr Mayhew, colleagues and partners are excited to be part of a dynamic community of pine marten researchers and conservationists across the country. The project in south Cumbria is one of several initiatives including the Two Moors Project in the West Country that are collaborating to return pine martens to all their former haunts across England and Wales.

Since feasibility work started on the pine marten project in 2020, the team has built strong relationships with the rural communities in the release area and most welcome the return of pine martens. To avoid conflict with local shooting interests, the project team is working closely with gamekeepers and farmers to protect their game birds and poultry and will provide an ongoing mitigation service to avoid any problems in the future.

With funding from Rewilding Europe and Ozone, the Cumbrian project is supported by a strong regional partnership. This includes the Upper Duddon Landscape Recovery Project led by the University of Leeds, Natural England, Cumbria Wildlife Trust and the Lake District National Park Authority but it could not have achieved its aims without the involvement of Forestry England and neighbouring landowner Graythwaite Estate, which combines traditional field sports activities with ambitions to restore missing and threatened species such as beavers, red squirrels and rare butterflies.

The Forestry England team paved the way for the recovery of the pine marten in Grizedale Forest and the Rusland Valley, and using Forestry England experts, licensed reintroductions of pine martens has gone ahead. The SCPMRP is one of a range of UK projects supported by Forestry England to help secure the return of pine martens to England’s forests.

The forests of south Cumbria provide perfect habitats for this species but the future of these 13 pioneers will depend on the attitudes and actions of local people, whom researchers will work closely with to provide a brighter future for pine martens in the county.

Above: L-R John Hincks, Mic Mayhew and Jon Beardsley with pine martens prepared for translocation

Wayne Penrose is Forestry England North England Ecologist. He said: “Re-establishing pine marten populations in Grizedale Forest is very exciting. Through sustainable land management, we are creating healthy ecosystems and protecting and improving our woodlands for wildlife to thrive.”

Ed Sandys is owner of the Graythwaite Estate. He commented: “Our work with the pine marten project is a great example of effective collaboration between the conservation and field sports communities and we are excited and proud to tell our guests that pine martens have returned to the estate.”

Jenny Williams is Natural England Higher Officer for Species Recovery and Reintroductions in Cumbria. She said:

“The pine marten is an important part of native fauna and contributes to local species recovery targets. They are wonderfully well adapted for life in the woodland, and we are so pleased to see action to secure their return to Cumbria where they were once a frequent sight in the Lake District. This reinforcement will accelerate the pine marten’s natural expansion into Cumbria and help ensure that developing populations are genetically strong. It will also meet government ambitions to restore lost species, in a well-planned and supported way, as set out in the 25-Year Environment Plan.”

John Hodgson is Upper Duddon Landscape Recovery Project Manager and Restoring Hardknott Forest Project Officer from the University of Leeds. He said:

“The team at Upper Duddon Landscape Recovery often work within sight of Mart Crag and are regularly reminded of this once common species. We've been very proud to be involved in this partnership and feel our work in restoring native woodland and improving the habitats of the Upper Duddon will now be able to make a significant contribution to the long-term success of the recovery of the pine marten.”

Adam Eagle is chief executive of The Lifescape Project. He said: “After years of careful planning we’re delighted to have a member of our team on the ground helping to bring back and look after this wonderful animal as it regains its natural place within the forest ecosystem.”

WATCH: A pine marten scent marking, captured in March 2024 in the Scottish Highlands

WATCH: A pine marten feeding, during survey work by the South Cumbria Pine Marten Recovery Project team

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