Welcome
Welcome to the autumn edition of Cumbrian Wildlife. It’s just over a year since the Trust was able to acquire
Skiddaw Forest; thanks entirely to your amazing generosity. On page 20, we have a short update from the team on some of the preparatory activities they’ve been working on before restoration can begin in earnest. I’ve been spending recent weekend days collecting tree
and shrub seeds for Skiddaw. Today, I was out in the higher, ancient (and windy) woodlands of Ullswater. It’s been an enjoyable task, helped in no small part by the bumper crop of some trees this year. I’ve returned moderately laden with a full shopping bag of seeds but without making any apparent impact on the bountiful ‘mast’ crop. Tere were lots of acorns and haws, but very few hazelnuts as the red squirrels seem to have had them already. Tey’re quick off the mark when it comes to hazelnuts; devouring them first,
before gathering and burying the more biter acorns in ‘caches’ or ‘stores’, which they re-find and eat during the long winter months. I’m told this may also help reduce the biter tannin taste of the acorns – possibly through fermentation and so improving their palatability. I’ve never tried it myself. Of course, one of the biggest challenges for red squirrels is the grey squirrel.
Reds are adept at caching seeds, but invasive grey squirrels are far beter at finding and stealing them on the woodland floor. It’s not just a bumper year for tree growers. Trees with large, nutritious seeds
such as sessile oak and hazel are voraciously sought out by lots of so-called seed predators, including mice and voles, invertebrates, jays and squirrels. In mast years, the trees produce an over-abundance of seeds to overwhelm the seed eaters and improve the chances of at least some seeds surviving to germinate. But in the years between, fewer seeds are produced so that the background population level of seed-eaters isn’t boosted. I like to take a close look at the individual seeds. Tey’re neat and atractive
things – plump and satisfyingly-shaped, packed with food for the growing seedling, and they come in warm browns, greens and yellows. Perfect colours that match the autumnal hues of the landscape around them. Tey’re also packed full of promise with the prospect of what they will
grow into on Skiddaw Forest in the years to come. Tank you so much for your membership and support in making such an exciting project – and the Trust’s work for Cumbrian wildlife – possible.
Stephen Trotter Chief Executive
Cumbria Wildlife Trust Get in touch
Cumbrian Wildlife is the membership magazine for Cumbria Wildlife Trust Email
mail@cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk Website
www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk Head Office Plumgarths, Crook Road, Kendal, Cumbria LA8 8LX. 01539 816300 Gosling Sike Houghton Road, Houghton, Carlisle CA3 0LD. 01228 829570 Registered in England as Cumbria Wildlife Trust Limited, a company Limited by Guarantee No. 00724133 Registered charity number 218711
2 Cumbrian Wildlife | November 2025
Cumbrian Wildlife magazine team Editor Andrea Simpson Email
andreas@cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk Designed by Plain Creative Email
hello@plain-creative.co.uk Cover: Grey seal © Alexander Mustard/2020VISION. Unless otherwise credited, all photographs are copyright Cumbria Wildlife Trust. The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Editor or the Board of Trustees.
For The Wildlife Trusts Editor Joanna Foat Designer Ben Cook
Wherever you are in the UK, your Wildlife Trust is standing up for wildlife and wild places in your area and bringing people closer to nature.
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