Red squirrel conservation groups invited to apply for £250,000 funding

Organisations working to protect red squirrels are being invited to bid for a share of a £250,000 funding pot.

Grants available for red squirrel projects

The Red Squirrel Restoration Network (RSRN) is offering grants of up to £500 for small-scale activities and up to £5,000 for broader projects. The network hopes to involve “people from all backgrounds”.

Projects could include themed walks, community events and improvements to conservation-related spaces designed to help people celebrate red squirrels and reconnect with nature.

The RSRN project began in 2025 and works with conservation partners and volunteer groups in Northumberland, Cumbria, Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside and the south of Scotland to raise awareness of the endangered species.

Red squirrel populations continue to decline

Red squirrel populations across the UK have declined dramatically, with an estimated population of around 287,000, according to the RSRN.

Animal rights group Save Our Reds said in May that the species “still hangs on” across Cumbria, Northumberland and the North Pennines, but could disappear within 25 years.

According to Natural England, external, the decline is linked to the introduction of grey squirrels from the United States and Canada in 1876. Grey squirrels spread squirrelpox virus, which is fatal only to red squirrels.

Save Our Reds said habitat loss and weak enforcement of existing protections were compounding the problem.

Project aims to connect communities with nature

RSRN’s Heather Harris said the project, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, aimed to “remind everyone why red squirrels are so important to our heritage”.

“There are a lot of older generations who remember red squirrels, but we would also like to hear from younger generations who live in areas with less access to nature or who have never seen a red squirrel,” she said.

RSRN Programme Manager Mike Denberry said: “From introducing children to red squirrels for the first time to implementing larger-scale habitat conservation projects, we’d love to hear your ideas for inspiring action for nature.”

Follow BBC Cumbria ×, external, Facebook, external, Next and Instagram, external, and listen to Radio Cumbria on BBC Sounds.