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<p>The Government is committed to protecting and expanding red squirrel populations
and tackling the threats that grey squirrels pose to them. This is a devolved matter.
In England, the Forestry Commission works with Natural England and other conservation
organisations and projects to help protect red squirrel enclaves and to allow the
populations to expand.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Forestry Commission also
undertakes a number of actions to protect red squirrels from the impact of grey squirrels
as outlined in the grey squirrel action plan for England. These actions include Countryside
Stewardship funding for landowners who choose to help protect red squirrels within
designated reserves.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Defra, in partnership with the
United Kingdom Squirrel Alliance (UKSA), also provided funding for work by the Animal
and Plant Health Agency for the development of a fertility control method for grey
squirrels. This research, now in its third year, continues to show promise as one
potentially effective method to control grey squirrel numbers in the longer term.</p><p>
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