Latest News from the IOW Red Squirrel Trust
2026 Calendar Sponsor Spotlight: August – D&S Carpets
Meet our August calendar sponsor, D&S Carpets, the Island’s carpet and flooring superstore in Newport, and proud supporters of Island red squirrel conservation.
What Brownsea Island Teaches Us About Red Squirrels
If you want to see what a red squirrel paradise looks like when nobody interferes, look no further than Brownsea Island — where one stubborn woman’s 34-year refusal to tidy up gave squirrels the woodland they needed. Here’s what her story can teach your own garden.
The Isle of Wight Red Squirrel Trust Appoints New Chairman as Outgoing Chairwoman & Founding Member Helen Butler MBE Steps Down to Pursue Scientific Work for Red Squirrels
The Isle of Wight Red Squirrel Trust has appointed Nicholas Gurney-Champion as its new Chairman of Trustees, taking over from founding member Helen Butler MBE after 21 years at the helm. Helen remains closely involved as Woodland Manager and through her ongoing scientific work protecting the Island’s red squirrels.
A Nutty Discovery at Howes Wood
Two hazelnuts opened by dormice have turned up at Howes Wood, right beside last year’s bramble nest site, proof that leaving habitat undisturbed is paying off.
Reclaiming the Paths (and a Cloud of Thistledown): A Howes Wood Update
Excerpt: This summer’s explosive growth closed over paths at Howes Wood almost overnight, but while volunteers battled thistles and bramble, a stand of long-buried hazel trees is finally thriving, with a promising crop of hazelnuts for our red squirrels.
2026 Calendar Sponsor Spotlight: July – Squirrel’s Den Collectables
Meet our July calendar sponsor, Squirrel’s Den Collectables at Arreton Barns, run by David and Michelle, and proud supporters of Island red squirrel conservation.
Tractor Trimming and Blackberry Bounty at Howes Wood
This week’s Howes Wood update: Steve takes the tractor out to trim back the verges along the shared track, while other volunteers battle fast-growing brambles by hand, and the drought brings an unexpected early treat for the red squirrels.
It’s Here! Our HOT OFF THE PRESS 2027 Red Squirrel Calendar
Our 2027 Red Squirrel calendar has landed! Twelve months of stunning squirrel photography, £10 each, with every sale supporting our conservation work at Howes Wood and beyond. Limited print run — order yours before they’re gone.
Getting Around Howes Wood: Meet Our New “Road Signs”
Our volunteers have been putting up hand-made signposts around Howes Wood, each named after the person who helped create that path or clearing. Part practical, part playful, and a real help for monitoring plants and insects. Here are the first ones to go up, with more on the way.
Woodland Update: The Hide Takes Shape (and an Elm Mystery Solved!)
The wildlife hide at Howes Wood is finished (bar a floor and benches!), and we uncover the surprising story behind an unusually large elm tree spotted nearby
Woodland Update: Tackling the New Area
Our volunteer team has been tackling the dense new area at Howes Wood, felling dead trees and cutting paths through challenging terrain. No licence yet, plenty of gnats, but brilliant progress all round.
Woodland Update June 2026
It’s been a busy and rewarding time at Howes Wood. Steve and John have been fitting the waterproof roof to our new wildlife hide, a sturdy bridge now crosses the ditch, and the wild cherry and self-seeded hazel are flourishing. Down at the pond, the flag iris has produced its first flower and the arrival of water beetles tells us this new habitat has been given nature’s seal of approval.
Support the Island’s red squirrels AND get your business seen by the people who love them
Get your Isle of Wight business in front of a passionate local audience. Sponsor March, April, or September in our 2027 calendar and enjoy year-round exposure alongside the Island’s beloved red squirrels.
SPRING CAMPAIGN · GIVE AS YOU LIVE
Shop online at 6,000+ stores and raise free donations for the Isle of Wight Red Squirrel Trust via Give As You Live. Plus earn a bonus donation before 31st May!
Western Red Cedar Harvest Complete – Red Squirrel Fencing Can Now Begin
Landscape Therapy has completed the planned Western Red Cedar extraction at our Isle of Wight woodland site. Fencing can now be finished, and we need creative crafters to help us raise funds. Find out how…
Jim the Squirrel: Paul Sivell’s Chainsaw Carving Born from Our Own Western Red Cedar
Master carver Paul Sivell has created something truly special from our own Western red cedar; a chainsaw-carved squirrel named Jim, in tribute to the foreman who oversaw the original tree planting back in the 1960s. We follow the carving process from pencil sketch to oiled finish, and invite your feedback of our possible woodland auction later in 2026, where everything on offer will be made from our own wood.
Buff-Tailed Bumblebees at Howes Wood | Isle of Wight Red Squirrel Trust
This spring at Howes Wood, we’ve been treated to a wonderful abundance of bee and insect species — including a starring appearance from Britain’s biggest bumblebee, the buff-tailed bumblebee. Watch our video clip and discover the fascinating world of this remarkable ‘nectar robber’, as we explore the rich and interconnected ecosystem thriving in our woodland.
2026 Calendar Sponsor Spotlight: April – Rachel Cobb Art
Wildlife artist Rachel Cobb Art joins us as our April Calendar Sponsor, celebrating Isle of Wight red squirrels through beautifully hand-painted artwork while supporting local conservation.
Isle of Wight Woodland Wildlife Spring Update
Rare narrow-leaved lungwort rediscovered, bluebells emerging, and a brimstone butterfly on the wing — a hopeful morning in the woodland with our conservation volunteers.
A Wood Awakening
Step inside a living woodland on the Isle of Wight as it stirs back into life, ancient bluebells multiplying, rare narrow-leaved lungwort emerging from the leaf litter, and a habitat being patiently restored for one of Britain’s most iconic species. The Isle of Wight Red Squirrel Trust shares an atmospheric behind-the-scenes diary from our partially-built hide, and introduces two ways for local businesses and sole traders to be part of our 2027 conservation calendar, showcasing the island’s finest wildlife photography. Month sponsorships from £150. Supporter squares from £30. Just 24 opportunities in total.
2026 Calendar Sponsor Spotlight: March – Beardsalls Print Services
Beardsalls, a family run Newport printing business established in 1901, is proudly supporting red squirrel conservation as a sponsor of the Isle of Wight Red Squirrel Trust calendar.
A New Woodland Cabin Arrives
This week saw the successful delivery of a new woodland classroom cabin, carefully positioned amongst the trees with the help of a crane lorry and volunteers. The cabin will provide a dedicated space for meetings, education sessions and woodland work supporting the Isle of Wight’s red squirrels.
2027 Calendar Sponsorship
Become a 2027 Isle of Wight calendar sponsor and place your business in 500+ Island homes while supporting red squirrel conservation. Exclusive month sponsorships and supporter squares now available.
Wear Your Wild: Red Squirrel Badges Supporting Conservation on the Isle of Wight
Discover how a beautifully designed red squirrel pin badge is helping to fund vital conservation and feeding projects protecting red squirrels on the Isle of Wight.