Pioneering scheme brings back pine martens to the southwest
A pioneering conservation project has brought back pine martens to the South West of England for the first time in more than a century.
Fifteen pine martens, including eight adult females and seven adult males, were released at secret locations on Dartmoor during September.
Conservationists say it’s an historic step in the restoration of the region’s woodlands – and their wildlife.
The return of pine martens is the work of The Two Moors Pine Marten Project and comes after two years of meticulous planning and consultation with local communities. It has been made possible with the support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The release of pine martens into Dartmoor was the first phase in the project’s plans to establish a resident population of the cat-sized, tree-climbing members of the weasel family.
Pine martens went extinct in the South West of England more than 100 years ago after centuries of loss to their favoured woodland living places, and as the result of hunting and trapping.
The project’s second phase will see a similar release of the animals in Exmoor during 2025. Dartmoor’s new pine martens have been sourced from healthy wild populations in Scotland – using the expert assistance of The Vincent Wildlife Trust.
In a carefully planned operation, under licenses from Natural England and NatureScot, the animals were health checked by vets before being driven to their new homes in Devon.
Specially constructed pens in woodland locations
Arriving under the cover of darkness each animal was placed in its own specially constructed pen at woodland locations which were chosen for their seclusion.
There they were fed and watered by a team of local volunteers. After three days of quiet acclimatisation, the pen doors were opened, and the pine martens were allowed to make their first historic steps into the wild.
The project is now carefully monitoring the progress of the 15 pine martens. Each animal was fitted with a radio collar to allow their movements to be tracked.
The collars were fitted under vet supervision, are lightweight and have been specially designed so as not to restrict the movement of the animals. The collars will drop off the animals after six to nine months of use.
Pine martens are mostly solitary creatures and live at low densities. The expectation of the project is that the new animals will disperse to establish their own territories. The population is expected to grow gradually over the coming years.
‘Pine martens are stunning members of the weasel family, about two foot long, weighing just 1.5 kilos, with their creamy-orange bibs contrasting against their smooth chocolate-coloured coat,’ explains Ed Parr Ferris, Devon Wildlife Trust.
‘They are amazingly well adapted for life in the woodland night, with strong claws, lithe bodies, fantastic hearing and even reversible rear ankles helping them to run down trees.’
‘These rare mammals need our help to return to their former homes in the South West, but we also need their help to bring back the natural balance of wildlife to our woodlands.’
Project shows a ‘great example of best practice’
‘Natural England has been working closely with the Two Moors Pine Marten project to contribute to the recovery of pine marten in England,’ says Emma Williams, Species Recovery Higher Officer at Natural England.
‘This project has shown a great example of best practice, and the reintroduction of pine marten will have a positive impact on Dartmoor’s biodiversity.’
‘We have welcomed the opportunity to participate in this partnership project and, after significant research and consultation, are excited to reach the milestone of the first pine marten release,’ says ecologist Ketty White, Dartmoor National Park.
‘Ecological assessments have confirmed that areas across the Two Moors in the South West are suitable for reintroduction, and we are thrilled to support the first release of pine martens here on Dartmoor.’
‘Once common in our region’s woodlands, we look forward to these animals making Dartmoor their home and in turn supporting the rebalance of nature in our National Park.’
‘We are delighted to see the first release of pine martens back into the South West on Dartmoor,’ says Ali Hawkins is Exmoor National Park Authority’s Senior Ecologist.
‘It’s been an amazing partnership effort over a number of years to get to this point and we are excited that this will pave the way for a release on Exmoor next year.’
‘We have historical evidence that these amazing animals used to be in our Exmoor woodlands and their presence will help to re-address the ecological balance and drive forward nature recovery.’
A pioneering conservation project has brought back pine martens to the South West of England. Image: Terry Whittaker / 2020Vision.
Helping ‘populations recover across England’
‘Pine martens are a priority species for Forestry England and I’m delighted we can bring our experience helping their populations recover across England to the ground-breaking Two Moors Pine Marten Project,’ says Abigail Parravani is Forestry England forest planner.
‘Restoring a native predator doesn’t only conserve the species itself but helps to restore entire woodland ecosystems by reinstating natural processes that humans have interrupted.’
‘I’m excited to watch the project unfold and see the positive impact of pine martens on the health and resilience of these important landscapes.’
‘The National Trust has been delighted to be involved in this reintroduction project from the outset and it’s wonderful to see the ambition of returning this beautiful animal to Dartmoor being realised,’ says Alex Raeder is South West Landscapes Partnership manager for the National Trust.
‘The whole project has been a really great example of many organisations and individuals working together to restore nature across a whole landscape which puts us in a good place for further collaboration on natures recovery in the National Park and elsewhere.’
‘We are looking forward to welcoming the return of the pine marten to Dartmoor which a significant step in restoring the ecology of these very special oak woodlands so characteristic of the ancient landscapes of the South West.’
‘The whole project has been an amazing team effort and the Woodland Trust are delighted to have played a part in this momentous moment,’ says Eleanor Lewis is Outreach Manager for the Woodland Trust in the South West.
‘The pens the animals were released into were built using timber which resulted from the restoration of ancient woodlands.’
‘It was milled on site by local contractors who then worked alongside our wonderful volunteers to build the pens.’
Focus turning to monitoring
‘The volunteers’ focus will now turn to monitoring as the pine martens settle into their new woodland environment.’
‘Historically, the loss of woodland resulted in the decline of pine martens, so our focus will be upon working with landowners and providing advice and support on how woodlands can be managed and created to enhance the conditions for pine martens and ensuring they can play their vital role in our ecosystem that has been missing for so long.’
‘Seeing how the public and project partners have respected each other and worked together on this project has been so inspiring,’ says Alicia Hallatt, Human-Wildlife Co-existence Officer at Somerset Wildlife Trust.
‘Successfully completing this next stage is a real beacon of hope that we can restore a healthy environment and reconnect with nature to the benefit of us and future generations.’
The low numbers of pine martens reintroduced, their shy nature and nocturnal lifestyles mean that few people are likely to encounter the animals.
However, The Two Moors Pine Marten Project’s aim is to engage hundreds of people from a wide range of communities across the South West over the next three years.
These opportunities include: the chance for people of all ages and backgrounds to become ‘citizen scientists’ and ‘nature spotters’ so they can monitor pine marten behaviour – and other woodland wildlife.
‘Woodland-themed, nature-based activities and events’
Organisers hope to provide ‘woodland-themed, nature-based activities and events in communities local to pine marten release sites.’
It’s envisaged that there will be small grants for community-based projects that will help nurture local woodland wildlife.
It’s hoped a free digital download pack focused on pine martens and woodlands will help people to engage with wildlife spotter sheets, self-guided discovery trails and craft activities.
There will be advice to woodland owners in how to manage their woodland to support a range of wildlife which will include enhancing the habitat for pine martens
The project also has a strong focus on creating pathways for young people to get involved in conservation through volunteering and traineeships.
The project is being led by the charity Devon Wildlife Trust and is a partnership between seven conservation organisations, including: Dartmoor National Park Authority, Devon Wildlife Trust, Exmoor National Park Authority, Forestry England, National Trust, Somerset Wildlife Trust and the Woodland Trust.
