P.Ine martens have been reintroduced to the forests of south Cumbria thanks to a project involving researchers from the University of Leeds.

These elusive forest dwellers were once widespread in the county, but their numbers gradually declined over time, and they were assumed to have disappeared completely until a rare sighting in 2022 – the first in ten years.

Today, a partnership of organizations and landowners led by the University of Cumbria, including the Upper Duddon Landscape Restoration Project led by the University of Leeds, released 13 healthy adult pine martens (eight females and five males) into Grizedale Forest and the Rusland Valley. The animals were recently moved under license from high populations in the Scottish Highlands.

It’s exciting to watch their movements as they get used to their new home in the Lake District!

The pine marten is a target species of the Upper Duddon Landscape Recovery Project.

The team led by Professor Dominick Spracklen of the School of Earth and Environment has supported the pine marten release project for the past two years with funding and habitat studies. They also worked with residents and farmers in south Cumbria to assess attitudes towards the reintroduction of the pine marten.

“Our Upper Duddon project team is now helping to monitor pine martens as they move across south Cumbria using radio tracking,” Professor Spracklen said.

“They wear radio collars so we can track exactly where they go. We have also installed camera traps, with permission from landowners, in south Cumbria. It’s exciting to watch their movements as they get used to their new home in the Lake District! »

Caption: Students and project volunteers check camera traps in the release area. Photo courtesy of Dr. Mic Mayhew.

Secure breeding sites

This is the first of two releases carried out as part of the pine marten recovery project, and it is hoped that by returning some animals to their ancestral wooded habitats, populations can grow. A network of dens has been installed across the region to provide safe breeding sites for pine martens next spring.

Surveys and habitat monitoring carried out by Dr Mic Mayhew from the University of Cumbria found the best location for a release was Forestry England’s Grizedale Forest and Graythwaite Estate, located around 10km from the valley by Duddon.

“Previous reintroductions in Wales and England have shown that pine martens can move rapidly 10-30km away from the release site. The good connectivity of forests in the area means they could move quite quickly to other parts of south Cumbria, including the Duddon Valley,” Dr Mayhew said.

Habitat restoration

The DEFRA-funded Upper Duddon Landscape Recovery Project is designed to work with farmers and other land managers to manage land to improve soil and water quality and reverse the decline of nature.

The work will explore habitat restoration options for native forests, woodland pastures, heather, scrub and peatlands. It will also include the necessary feasibility studies to enable the future restoration of rare native species, including water voles, flower globes, tree pipits and pine martens, which will help nature thrive and recover, while guaranteeing the long-term financial security of farms.

The team will now share news of the pine martens’ progress with local schools. John Hodgson, project manager of the Upper Duddon project, said: “We are proud to support this locally led partnership which has helped restore the pine marten in Cumbria. The pine marten constitutes an important part of the natural heritage of the Lakes region. It’s great news that they’re back!

“We look forward to working with schools across south and west Cumbria and offering children the opportunity to learn more about these amazing animals.”

Additional information

Top image: A pine marten in the Scottish Highlands in 2022. Photo provided by Dr Mic Mayhew of the University of Cumbria.

For media inquiries please contact Kersti Mitchell via [email protected]