Charity welcomes government position on grey squirrels

Owen Paterson MP shows support for grey squirrel control.

Following a meeting in Brussels of EU agriculture Ministers, the European Squirrel Initiative (ESI), Britain’s leading grey squirrel control charity, has welcomed the strong support for grey squirrel control shown by Owen Paterson MP, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The EU Environment Council meeting in December discussed the scope of a proposed EU Regulation on the control of invasive alien species.

In his speech, the Secretary of State singled out grey squirrels as a species which should be included in the Regulation and whose control should be prioritised.

Sticking to the theme of the need to control grey squirrels, the Secretary of State went on to say that the recent withdrawal of Warfarin as an approved control mechanism “doesn’t help”.

George Farr, Chairman of ESI, welcomed the Secretary of State’s statement, saying, “We are delighted that the Secretary of State has taken such a strong line on grey squirrel control and recognised the need for the Regulation to ensure that grey squirrel control is prioritised”.

Mr Farr also praised him for drawing attention to the withdrawal by the EU of approval for the use of Warfarin.

“The Secretary of State is right to highlight the loss of approval for the use of Warfarin, which is the most cost effective form of grey squirrel control. We need every available method to be at our disposal if we are to meet the threat that grey squirrels pose to the biodiversity of British woodlands,” he said.