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February 2008: Inishowen ~

Good news for Inishowen in the results of the 2007’s Red Squirrel Survey which was recently published by COFORD (the national council for forest research and development). Inishowen shows well in the results with a clear expansion of Reds into a number of officially previously unrecorded areas. The peninsula still holds large areas of potentially good habitat with no records. If present trends continue these ‘vacant’ areas should become colonised in the near future by the currently expanding population of Reds. Grey squirrels have not been recorded on Inishowen yet but are shown to be expanding nationwide. Interestingly Pine Martin records where also sought during the survey and a correlation between pine martin presence and red squirrel populations was investigated.

The all Island survey which was carried out by Michael Carey, Geoff Hamilton, Alan Poole and Colin Lawton used mainly voluntary records from members of the public and also requested records from professional conservation employees and forestry workers. 1502 separate records where catalogued through their web site and paper forms.

The survey clearly shows that the red squirrel is now considered extinct in counties Meath and West Meath and particularly rare in Kilkenny, Carlow and Louth. In light of this regrettable news, the result from Inishowen is even more valuable. Inishowen is now one of the few places on the island where there was a positive expansion of territory. The increasing age profile of the peninsulas forestry plantations and the large swaths of recent plantings should bode well for the Red in coming years.

It is believed that Inishowen’s red squirrels have expanded from neighbouring Co. Derry and the earliest records from Lis na gra wood near muff would seem to support this. There were records submitted during 2007 from woodland as far away as Malin town, which suggests a rapid expansion of territory in recent years.

The dilemma that is wildlife management and conservation can be clearly illustrated by the conflict of interest regards forestry plantations and blanket planting schemes. The good results from this survey could be matched against the last Hen Harrier survey in 2006 when results showed a loss of over two thirds of the Hen Harrier population on the peninsula. It’s easy to see why conflict and resolution are fast becoming the by-words of land managers and conservation bodies in the Ireland of the 21st century.

For more info see www.irishsquirrelsurvey.com and www.coford.ie