South East Pine Marten Restoration Project

Pine martens belong to the mustelid family, which also includes otters, stoats, badgers, weasels, and polecats. Roughly the size of a small domestic cat, they have rich brown fur, a creamy yellow chest ‘bib’, distinct rounded ears, and a long, bushy tail. 

Yes, pine martens are a native species that faced near extinction due to hunting and habitat loss. Ongoing conservation efforts have led to a slow recovery in their numbers – but they still aren't anywhere near a healthy population. 

The pine marten’s diet is diverse, with small mammals like field and bank voles making up a large part of it. They also eat birds, eggs, invertebrates such as beetles and wasps’ nests, and a considerable amount of berries in the autumn. Their diet will vary based on local and seasonal abundance. Importantly, as native apex predators, their presence helps maintain stable and healthy prey populations in an ecosystem. Native forest species like red squirrels – nimble, quick creatures that they are – will have evolved alongside pine martens and likely have an inherent fear of them.  

In Ireland and Scotland where numbers of pine martens are higher, evidence shows that grey squirrel numbers are lower or decreasing, while the native red squirrel is increasing. While occasional predation on red squirrels may occur, the slower grey squirrel - invasive, non-native species that have caused a decline in red squirrel populations - are more likely targets, with their time spent on the ground making them an easier prey item. Diet analysis evidence suggests that pine martens do indeed eat grey squirrels. 

The red squirrel, on the other hand, is small, agile, and harder to catch. 

Grey squirrels cause a significant amount of damage to trees through bark-stripping behaviour which can be detrimental to tree growth.  

According to The Red Squirrel Survival Trust, there are 2.7 million greys and fewer than 287,000 red squirrels in Britain. It follows, then, that having a natural predator back in the ecosystem would help reduce grey squirrel populations and pave the way for red squirrel population increases in the South East of England. There is also the potential for a reduction in the economic impacts of tree damage caused by greys. 

Pine martens are among Britain’s rarest mammals, with an estimated population of about 3,700. Human-induced factors, such as habitat destruction and persecution, have put them at risk of extinction. Their slow reproduction, with only one or two kits every few years, makes their natural recovery a rather lengthy process. Relying on their natural recovery across Britain, resulting from the stronghold population found in Scotland, will therefore take a very long time. Successful reintroductions in Wales and the Forest of Dean underscore the need to enable the creation of additional populations that connect to ensure genetic and geographic variability. 

The South East Pine Marten Restoration Project is a great opportunity to aid the recovery of this native species in regions where it once thrived. Research has identified potential viable locations in the South East where reintroduction may be successful, with existing populations in Hampshire opening up the possibility for ecological connections.  

The species thrives in mosaic landscapes with large woodland complexes, found in areas like Ebernoe Common, the New Forest, Ashdown Forest, and the High Weald. Their average territory size is roughly 10-25km² for males and about 5-15km² for females. This is part of what makes them such a flagship species for habitat restoration and the creation of ‘Nature Recovery Networks’ that will unlock ecological resilience against climate change. It’ll also help maintain and restore important habitat for a range of species by creating a landscape that is, on the whole, more biodiverse and interconnected. 

At this early stage of the project, we are looking into whether it is ecologically and socially feasible to reintroduce pine martens into the South East. While previous research shows the South East is in fact ecologically viable, our project will also conduct this research to ensure we have the most up-to-date and accurate information, considering evolving habitats and landscapes. The establishment of the South East Pine Marten Stakeholder Working Group, coordinated by the Project Committee (Kent Wildlife Trust, Wildwood Trust, and Sussex Wildlife Trust), enables cross-stakeholder collaboration. If feasibility research indicates that pine marten reintroduction is both possible and sustainable, a 10-year strategy will be developed for their restoration in coordination with the stakeholder working group and committee. 

For more information about the project, please contact Amy Fitzmaurice, ([email protected]) Kent Wildlife Trust’s Human-wildlife coexistence officer, and Suzanne Kynaston ([email protected]) at Wildwood Trust who are jointly managing this project with the Project Committee.