Nuts About Squirrels

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The Forest Service is celebrating Red Squirrel Week 2004 through welcoming visitors to come and learn more about red squirrels in Gosford, Gortin and Glenariff Forest Parks.

Plenty of activities have been planned in the forests. In Gosford Forest Park - quizzes, making masks and red squirrel models, games and scavenger huntsand being a woodland detective are activities planned for children. If the weather is bad, the Exhibition Centre at Gosford will be displaying an exhibit of red and grey squirrels, squirrel feeders, a drey and a selection of the squirrel’s favourite nibbles!

On Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 September between 1pm and 4pm Forest Guides will be at the Exhibition Centre at Glenariff Forest Park with fun activities and information about why it is important to conserve the red squirrel. There will be guided walks in the forests where visitors will have a chance to investigate where a squirrel lives and what it likes to eat.

On 19 September from 2pm to 4pm the Forest Service along with the Ulster Wildlife Trust hosts an event called ‘Nuts about Squirrels’ in Gortin Glen Forest Park which will give you information on all you need to know about the red squirrel.

Richard Schaible of the Forest Service explained: “We are delighted to welcome the public to these forests to learn about the red squirrel, which is one of the most popular and easily recognisable of our woodland mammals. The Forest Service is actively engaged in managing forests where red squirrels are present to aid their survival.”

For more information on Red Squirrel Week please contact 028 3755 2154.

1. The red squirrel is a rather small-sized tree squirrel, only about half the size of the more common grey squirrel. It's bushy tail is somewhat slender and almost as long as the length of its head and body combined. The coat of the red squirrel is a rusty, reddish-brown in summer, turning slightly greyer in winter, and the underside is white. In summer, a black stripe is pronounced along its sides, separating the white underside from the reddish, upper body. Both males and females are about equal in size.

2. It is important to increase awareness of the need for red squirrel conservation. The Forest Service offers a non-charged guided service to provide education programmes, including red squirrel conservation, to schools, community groups, youth organisations or special interest groups. Please refer to the Forest Service website (http://www.forestserviceni.gov.uk/education/education.htm) or to book a visit contact your local Forest Office. Details of an education initiative in Derry City involving supplementary feeding and recording may be obtained from the Ulster Wildlife Trust.

3. A red squirrel education pack is available on the Environment and Heritage Service website http://www.ehsni.gov.uk/education/resources.shtml

4. All media enquiries to DARD Press Office, Tel: 028 9052 4619.