NEWS
Planting by number scheme gives pine marten reprieve
Timid and endangered, the pine marten is one of Britain’s threatened mammals, which is to benefit from an ambitious scheme by Scottish Charity Trees for Life to plant a record 100,000 native trees this year to help restore the ancient Caledonian Forest.
It is thought that there are less than 3,500 pine martens left in Scotland and about 120,000 red squirrels, 75 per cent of the UK population. The 100,000 trees, to be planted by volunteers in small groves, will help support a viable population of both these rare mammals. The groves are being offered for sponsorship.
Lack of public knowledge about the pine marten, is one of the biggest obstacles faced by organisations seeking to conserve the animal. Although it’s the size of a cat and in the same family as the stoat and badger, the name leaves many people thinking it’s a bird!
“The pine marten doesn’t get the same name recognition as the red squirrel,” explains Dr Johnny Birks, of The Vincent Wildlife Trust, a British mammal research organisation that is advising Trees for Life, “Both are indigenous to the UK and under serious threat of extinction. It’s unlikely that there are many more than 120 pine marten left in England and just half that again in Wales – Scotland is the only place in the country where numbers are now increasing, due to schemes such as Trees for Life.”
The re-forestation will also benefit red squirrels, which across UK are under habitat pressure from grey squirrels and vulnerable to the poxvirus they carry. Dan Puplett from Trees for Life: “Grey squirrels have an advantage in broadleaved woodland, as they can eat acorns and other nuts before they are ripe enough for the reds. We have found that our habitat restoration has already increased numbers of the pine marten and these coniferous forests are also a haven for red squirrels.”
Trees for Life uses volunteers to replant hundreds of hectares of lost Caledonian Forest, providing new habitats for endangered animals as well as a enhancing one of Britain’s last wild places.
It was the involvement of ordinary people and the well-defined aims of the project that attracted the support of pharmaceutical analysis company, Melbourn Scientific Ltd, as Mark Hammond, Business Development Director explains:
“Trees for Life is making a valuable contribution to the social and natural environment, and made it easy for a company like ourselves to participate. For each new contract for a stability study that we win this year we will be sponsoring the creation of a grove of trees. We can give the map reference to our client and encourage them also to contribute to expanding ‘their’ grove.”
New areas of forest re-planted by Trees for Life are already appearing on revised ordnance survey maps which provides sponsors with a real tangible return on sponsorship.
As Mark explains, the fact that any commercial or individual sponsors can see their contribution grow - quite literally - is one of the factors that make this scheme popular with staff and clients.
“Everybody’s very keen that Trees for Life can reach their target and are telling all their family and friends to get involved by sponsoring more trees!”
Support for Trees for Life is one part of Melbourn’s commitment to reducing its ‘ecological footprint’. The company has introduced sensor operated lighting in its corridors and meeting rooms, designed its new laboratory ergonomically to reduce waste and streamline operations, introduced new methods of recycling and developed an internet based project tracking system to reduce paper-based reporting and improve international communications.
For more information about how to sponsor a ‘Grove of Trees’ which can be dedicated to person, family or company www.treesforlife.org.uk