Managing forests for the future: Balancing timber production with the conservation of Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)

Abstract

Reconciliation of timber production and wildlife conservation is a major challenge in forest ecosystem management. For some protected species impacts of forest management are well documented, but for others such as the Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) (hereafter ‘red squirrel’) they are still largely unknown. In Scotland, red squirrels are protected under national and international law and their presence needs to be carefully considered in forest management planning. This study investigated red squirrel responses to forest management activities and we specifically looked at the impact of standard thinning operations on red squirrel breeding activity, survival, population density and home range. From January to September 2017, we radio-tracked 22 individual red squirrels in a conifer plantation in the Highlands of Scotland, with standard thinning operations taking place during May 2017. Our results show that red squirrel survival was relatively high compared to sites without forest operations and breeding activity continued with no detectable impact of forest operations. Red squirrel population density was higher after thinning operations. Whilst space use changed for a handful of individuals, home ranges and core areas overall did not significantly change in response to thinning operations. Our findings suggest the impact of the standard thinning operations with a basal area reduction from 42 m2/ha to 32 m2/ha on red squirrels during the breeding season were minimal.