Project Pine Marten

Terry Whittaker/2020 Vision

Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, Forestry England, Forest Research and Vincent Wildlife Trust collaborated to successfully reintroduce pine martens to the Forest of Dean and lower Wye Valley, with the support of Forest Holidays and the Woodland Trust.

While no further translocations will be undertaken, the project moves forward into a monitoring phase as the pine marten population spreads throughout the region. To find out more, watch the short film below.

Pine marten (c) Terry Whittaker

Restoring a pine marten population to Gloucestershire

The European pine marten, Martes martes, declined throughout much of the UK as a result of habitat loss and predator control, particularly in the 1800’s. They survived in a stronghold in the north-east of Scotland and have slowly recovered across much of the country. However, in England and Wales the population was thought to be too small to recover. From 2015 to 2017, Vincent Wildlife Trust successfully moved 51 pine martens from Scotland to central Wales.

Between 2019 and 2021, following feasibility studies, 35 pine martens were successfully reintroduced into the Forest of Dean to bolster the expanding Welsh population and help establish a resilient pine marten population in the south-west of England. No further translocations will be undertaken in Gloucestershire and this recovering population will be monitored as it continues to expand and spread throughout the region. As of 2022, the population is thought to be just over 40 animals, with at least 4 litters of kits being born so far.

Who do we work with?

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) have both been instrumental in the reintroduction of pine martens, not only in England with Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, but previously in Wales with Vincent Wildlife Trust. Consideration of source sites within Scotland and the sustainable removal of animals is vital to sustaining and managing a healthy pine marten population in their stronghold. Our work with SNH and FLS was undertaken following the Scottish Code for Conservation Translocations. Find out more about pine martens in Scotland here.

We are grateful to the following supporters who have also helped to fund the project: Montague-Panton Animal Welfare Trust, Waterloo Foundation, Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, Taurus Foundation, The Rowlands Trust, Dame Edna Smithan Research Award, Alice Noakes Memorial Charitable Trust, DEFRA Green Recovery Fund, private donors and everyone who contributed towards our pine marten appeal.