The Yorkshire Dales National Park is a special place for wildlife including many rare species of plants and birds. It is an important breeding ground for many birds, including grouse, curlew, lapwing and skylarks - which nest on the ground. There are heather moorlands, famous wildflower meadows, limestone pavements and species-rich limestone grassland.
We are offering businesses the opportunity to support conservation projects directly through the following projects.
Red Squirrels at Snaizeholme
There are only about 15,000 red squirrels in England. Snaizeholme in Widdale is now one of 17 refuges that are on the ‘front line’ between the reds and greys. Here visitors can enjoy the free viewpoint that offers an excellent chance of spotting red squirrels as they visit a feeder in a woodland clearing. There is a 2.5 mile round trip walk to the viewing area, from the ‘Little White Bus’ drop off point, just outside Hawes.
You can support the YDNPA feeding and protection programme via the following activities:
- Join the Wensleydale Red Squirrel Group (free membership) who help record the sightings of red and grey squirrels in the area, the control of grey squirrels in sensitive areas and support the feeding and protection programme. For more information see www.wensleydalersg.co.uk
- Sponsor red squirrel conservation by beicoming the monthly sponsor of squirrel feed at Snaizeholme. For £50, sponsors will receive a certificate to display, a red squirrel badge and promotion through social media and www.yorkshiredales.org.uk and www.natureinthedales.org.uk website.
- Host a YDNPA Red Squirrel Donation box in your business where visitors can make a suggested donation of £2 in return for a red squirrel badge.
- Display the YDNPA red squirrel visitor brochure ‘Go Nuts for Red Squirrels’ which are available on request from any of our National Park Centres. This brochure gives visitors an informative and fun map to enable them to make the most of their visit to Snaizeholme.
As a local business / individual, why not take a look for yourself and have a few enjoyable hours visiting Snaizeholme? Or why not join a National Park Authority guided event, held at the red squirrel reserve during the summer?
For more information about how to get involved, contact us tourim@yorkshiredales.org.uk. Further information about the other Wildlife Tourism projects will follow in due course.
