A
pioneering conservation project has brought back pine martens to the
South West of England for the first time in more than a century.*
15 pine martens
including 8 adult females and 7 adult males
were released at secret locations on Dartmoor during September in what
conservationists are hailing as a historic step in the restoration of
the region's woodlands and their wildlife.
The
return of pine martens is the work of The Two Moors Pine Marten Project
and comes after two years of meticulous planning and consultation with
local communities.
The
project is being led by the charity Devon Wildlife Trust and is a
partnership between seven conservation organisations: Dartmoor National
Park Authority, Devon Wildlife Trust,
Exmoor National Park Authority, Forestry England, National Trust,
Somerset Wildlife Trust and Woodland Trust. It has been made possible
with the support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The
release of pine martens into Dartmoor was the first phase in the
project's plans to establish a resident population of the cat-sized,
tree-climbing members of the weasel family.
Pine martens went extinct in the South West of England more than 100
years ago after centuries of loss to their favoured woodland living
places, and as the result of hunting and trapping. The project's second
phase will see a similar release of the animals
in Exmoor during 2025.
Dartmoor's
new pine martens have been sourced from healthy wild populations in
Scotland using the expert assistance of The Vincent Wildlife Trust. In a
carefully planned operation, under licenses
from Natural England and NatureScot, the animals were health checked by
vets before being driven to their new homes in Devon.
Arriving
under the cover of darkness each animal was placed in its own specially
constructed pen at woodland locations which were chosen for their
seclusion. There they were fed and watered by
a team of local volunteers. After three days of quiet acclimatisation,
the pen doors were opened, and the pine martens were allowed to make
their first historic steps into the wild.
The
project is now carefully monitoring the progress of the 15 pine
martens. Each animal was fitted with a radio collar to allow their
movements to be tracked. The collars were fitted under vet
supervision, are lightweight and have been specially designed so as not
to restrict the movement of the animals. The collars will drop off the
animals after six to nine months of use.
Pine
martens are mostly solitary creatures and live at low densities. The
expectation of the project is that the new animals will disperse to
establish their own territories. The population is
expected to grow gradually over the coming years.
Ed Parr Ferris is Conservation Manager at Devon Wildlife Trust. Ed said:
"Pine
martens are stunning members of the weasel family, about two foot long,
weighing just 1.5
kilos, with their creamy-orange bibs contrasting against their smooth
chocolate-coloured coat. They are amazingly well adapted for life in the
woodland night, with strong claws, lithe bodies, fantastic hearing and
even reversible rear ankles helping them to
run down trees. These rare mammals need our help to return to their
former homes in the South West, but we also need their help to bring
back the natural balance of wildlife to our woodlands."
Emma Williams is Species Recovery Higher Officer at Natural England. Emma said:
"Natural
England has been working closely with the Two Moors Pine Marten project
to contribute to
the recovery of pine marten in England. This project has shown a great
example of best practice, and the reintroduction of pine marten will
have a positive impact on Dartmoor's biodiversity".
Ali Hawkins is Exmoor National Park Authority's Senior Ecologist. Ali said:
"We
are delighted to see the first release of pine martens back into the
South West on Dartmoor. It's been an amazing partnership effort over a
number of years to get to this point and we
are excited that this will pave the way for a release on Exmoor next
year. We have historical evidence that these amazing animals used to be
in our Exmoor woodlands and their presence will help to re-address the
ecological balance and drive forward nature
recovery".
Abigail Parravani is Forestry England forest planner. Abigail said:
"Pine
martens are a priority species for Forestry England and I'm delighted
we can bring our experience helping their populations recover across
England to the ground-breaking
Two Moors Pine Marten Project.
Restoring a native predator doesn't only conserve the species itself
but helps to restore entire woodland ecosystems by reinstating natural
processes that humans have
interrupted. I'm excited to watch the project unfold and see the
positive impact of pine martens on the health and resilience of these
important landscapes."
Alex Raeder is South West Landscapes Partnership manager for the National Trust. Alex said:
"The
National Trust has been delighted to be involved in this reintroduction
project from the outset and it's wonderful to see the ambition of
returning
this beautiful animal to Dartmoor being realised. The whole project has
been a really great example of many organisations and individuals
working together to restore nature across a whole landscape which puts
us in a good place for further collaboration on
natures recovery in the National Park and elsewhere. We are looking
forward to welcoming the return of the pine marten to Dartmoor which a
significant step in restoring the ecology of these very special oak
woodlands so characteristic of the ancient landscapes
of the South West."
Eleanor Lewis is Outreach Manager for the Woodland Trust in the South West. Eleanor said:
"The
whole project has been an amazing team effort and the Woodland Trust
are delighted to have played a part in this momentous moment. The pens
the animals were released into were built using
timber which resulted from the restoration of ancient woodlands. It was
milled on site by local contractors who then worked alongside our
wonderful volunteers to build the pens. The volunteer's focus will now
turn to monitoring as the pine martens settle into
their new woodland environment. Historically, the loss of woodland
resulted in the decline of pine martens, so our focus will be upon
working with landowners and providing advice and support on how
woodlands can be managed and created to enhance the conditions
for pine martens and ensuring they can play their vital role in our
ecosystem that has been missing for so long."
The
low numbers of pine martens reintroduced, their shy nature and
nocturnal lifestyles mean that few people are likely to encounter the
animals. However, The Two Moors Pine Marten
Project's aim is to engage hundreds of people from a wide range of
communities across the South West over the next three years. These
opportunities include:
-
Chances
for people of all ages and backgrounds to become citizen scientists and
nature spotters – monitoring pine marten behaviour and other woodland
wildlife
-
Woodland-themed, nature-based activities and events in communities local to pine marten release sites
-
Small grants for community-based projects that will help nurture local woodland wildlife
-
A
free digital download pack focussed on pine martens and woodlands,
containing wildlife spotter sheets, self-guided discovery trails and
craft activities
-
Advice
to woodland owners in how to manage their woodland to support a range
of wildlife which will include enhancing the habitat for pine martens
The
project also has a strong focus on creating pathways for young people
to get involved in conservation through volunteering and traineeships.
Anyone interested in finding out more about pine martens and the Two Moors Pine Marten Project should go to:
www.twomoorspinemartens.org
Pine Marten - Photo copyright Terry Whittaker (All Rights Reserved)
Pine Marten - Photo copyright Terry Whittaker (All Rights Reserved)
DEVON WILDLIFE TRUST MEDIA RELEASE
--------
The
release of pine martens under the Two Moors Pine Marten Project is the
first
officially sanctioned release of the animal to the South West
peninsular. In recent years there have been isolated reports of pine
martens in the region, but the origin and numbers of these animals is
unknown. Officially sanctioned releases of pine martens
took place in mid-Wales in 2015 and the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire
in 2019. Both have produced successful, established populations.
.jpg "pine martens return to the South West of England. Photo copyright Terry Whittaker (All Rights Reserved)")
.jpg "pine martens return to the South West of England. Photo copyright Terry Whittaker (All Rights Reserved)")