Help gather evidence on grey squirrel bark stripping

bark stripping

UK Squirrel Accord’s UK-wide survey assesses the damage caused to trees and woodlands by non-native grey squirrels. Here is why you should take part, too. 

Grey squirrels cause extensive damage to trees across the UK, but there is still much to learn about where bark stripping occurs and why some woods are affected more than others.

UK Squirrel Accord is asking landowners, woodland managers and volunteers with permission to take part in the Grey Squirrel Activity & Impact Assessment to help build a clearer national picture of bark stripping damage.

Results from surveys conducted in 2026 must be submitted by the end of January 2027. The results will help create a national overview of damage levels and support local management strategies.

Why grey squirrel bark stripping matters

Grey squirrels are an invasive pest species. They strip bark from a wide range of tree species, damaging timber quality, reducing woodland productivity and leaving trees vulnerable to disease and decay. The economic cost has been estimated at more than £40 million every year across the UK.

Although bark stripping has been recognised for decades, scientists are still working to understand exactly what drives this behaviour. 

Recent research has reviewed studies from around the world and found that there is unlikely to be a single explanation, with factors such as nutrition, tree characteristics and squirrel behaviour all potentially playing a part. Improving our understanding is essential if we are to develop more effective management strategies.

BASC’s natural capital benefits of shooting report highlights the need for grey squirrel control. Management associated with shooting prevents around £12 million in annual timber losses and safeguards an estimated £32.6 million worth of carbon value each year. These measures protect tree health and maintain the long-term environmental and economic value of the UK’s woodlands.

Carry out the Grey Squirrel Activity & Impact Assessment

The survey uses a standardised methodology developed by The National Forest, allowing woodland owners and managers across the country to record grey squirrel activity and bark stripping consistently. The information collected can support individual woodland management plans while contributing to a nationwide evidence base.

You can carry out a survey in any woodland that you own, manage or have permission to access. The assessment involves walking a transect through the woodland and recording fresh and cumulative bark damage at regular intervals before submitting the results online.

Full guidance, including a downloadable recording sheet, a method overview and a helpful webinar on data gathering and submissions, is available on UK Squirrel Accord’s website.

Four Seasons 

 

BASC’s Four Seasons campaign showcases and celebrates the real value shooting delivers for people and the environment. 

 

 

Throughout the year, we’ll highlight seasonal opportunities to build on the good work already underway, helping your shooting activities deliver even greater gains for nature recovery. Find out more and get involved here.

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