The pine marten is one of Yorkshireβs rarest mammals. NatureSpy has been working in partnership with Forestry England since 2018 to gain a better understanding of the status of pine martens in Yorkshire. Weβre now working towards a set of conservation objectives to help pine martens make a comeback.
Have you seen a pine marten in Yorkshire? Please report your sighting here.Β
Our search for pine martens in Yorkshire began in 2013. In response to historic records and reports of sightings from the public, we set out to capture visual evidence. After four years of searching with just a few camera traps, we finally captured a video of a pine marten in Yorkshire in 2017 β this was the first ever image of a pine marten living in Yorkshire. Following this, we scaled up our efforts so we could learn more about the status of pine martens on the North York Moors and start implementing conservation objectives to support the species.
Yorkshire Pine Marten Support Programme (2018-2021) – In 2018 we began the 3-year Heritage Lottery funded Yorkshire Pine Marten Support Programme. Through camera trap surveys, DNA surveys and responding to reported pine marten sightings, the project was able to better understand the status of pine martens on the North York Moors. The projectβs engagement programme helped to increase awareness and knowledge of pine martens and their poor conservation status regionally, while the installation of den boxes contributed to improving habitat quality with safe dens for pine martens for many years to come. Click here read our report from this project.
Pine Marten Conservation Strategy for Yorkshire (2021β2024) – The Yorkshire Pine Marten Support Programme evidenced that pine marten populations are not in a good state in Yorkshire, with 6 confirmed records and 25 unconfirmed reported sightings between 2017 and 2021. Weβre now onto our next phase of pine marten conservation work in Yorkshire with a set of objectives that maintain and develop from our previous 3-year project. We’re working towards a long-term vision to establish self-sustaining populations of pine martens in Yorkshire as part of the national restoration of the species. Click here to read our Pine Marten Conservation Strategy for Yorkshire.
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