CWS3: Grey squirrel control and management
Source: gov.uk (2025-09-10)

What you must do to get paid for this CSHT action and advice on how to do it.

This action is part of Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT). You must read the CSHT guidance (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/countryside-stewardship-higher-tier-csht) before you apply.

Duration

10 years

How much you’ll be paid

£60 per hectare (ha) per year

Action’s aim

This action’s aim is to manage and reduce the impact of invasive non-native grey squirrels.

The purpose is to:
- protect the native red squirrel and allow its population to increase
- reduce the damage grey squirrels cause to trees and woodland habitats
Where you can do this action

You can only do this action if you have a species management plan agreed with Forestry Commission.

You should do this action on the same land as a habitat creation or management action. You must get approval from your Natural England adviser or Forestry Commission woodland officer to do this action if you’re not doing another habitat creation or management action on site.

Eligible land

You can do this action on land that’s:
- an eligible land type
- registered with an eligible land cover on your digital maps
- declared with a land use code (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/land-use-codes-rural-payments) which is compatible with the eligible land cover
Available area you can enter into this action

Total or part of the available area in the land parcel.

Rotational or static action

This action is static. This means you must do it on the same location each year of the action’s duration.

What to do

Your Natural England adviser or Forestry Commission woodland officer will assess your land. They’ll work with you to adapt and agree the activities you must do to achieve this action’s aim. All mandatory activities will be set out in your agreement document.

To get paid for this action, you must:
- set up or identify monitoring sites and undertake baseline monitoring as outlined in your species management plan in year 1
- complete grey squirrel management training if needed (your local woodland officer will discuss this with you)
- carry out the agreed level of culling set out in your species management plan
- carry out habitat impact assessments in years 1, 5 and 10 of your agreement
When to do it

You must do this action each year of its duration.

Evidence to keep

You must keep evidence to show what you have done to complete this action. If it’s not clear that you have done this action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve its aim, the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) may ask for this evidence.

You must supply the evidence if they ask for it, including:
- habitat impact assessment reports
- evidence of culling activity and cull numbers, supported by photographs when requested
- any bank statements, receipted invoices, consents, or permissions connected with the work
Other actions or options you can do on the same area as this action

You can do the following actions or options on the same area in a land parcel as this action.

Some actions or options can only be done on the same area if they’re done at a different time of year to this action.

You can do the following actions or options on the eligible boundaries of a land parcel entered into this action:
- CSHT actions: CWT3, CHRW4
- SFI 2024 actions: CHRW1, CHRW2, CHRW3, BND1, BND2, WBD10
- SFI 2023 actions: HRW1, HRW2, HRW3
- CS option BE3 (management of hedgerows)
Consents, permissions and licensing requirements

To apply for this action, you’ll need:
- a species management plan (https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/pa7-species-management-plan) agreed with the Forestry Commission and Natural England (if your application includes non-woodland habitats)
- Scheduled Monument Consent (https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/planning/consents/smc/) from Historic England for any work on scheduled monuments
- consent from Natural England for any activity on land designated as a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/protected-areas-sites-of-special-scientific-interest#get-consent-to-carry-out-operations-on-your-land)
You may need to get:
- advice from your Forestry Commission woodland officer or Natural England adviser if you have other archaeological or historic features on your agreement land
- a wildlife licence (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wildlife-licences) from Natural England if your activities affect a protected species or their habitat
All archaeological and historic features (including scheduled monuments) are identified in your Historic Environment Farm Environment Record (HEFER).

If you’re a tenant, it’s your responsibility to check whether your tenancy agreement allows you to complete what’s required in the actions you choose. You may need your landlord’s consent.

Capital grants to support this action

If you need to complete an implementation plan, species management plan or a feasibility study before you apply, you can apply for funding through capital grants plans funding (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/capital-items-guidance-for-applicants-and-agreement-holders#capital-grants-plans).

You can also apply for capital items (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/capital-items-guidance-for-applicants-and-agreement-holders) to help you achieve the action’s aims. Your Natural England adviser will discuss eligible capital items with you.

Advice to help you do this action

The following optional advice may help you to do this action. Your agreement document will set out all the activities you must do.

About grey squirrels

Grey squirrels are non-native invasive species found mainly in woodland settings. They damage trees by stripping the bark. They also threaten the native red squirrel population by:
- out-competing them for food
- spreading the squirrel pox virus
Use the non-native species secretariat (NNSS) information portal (https://www.nonnativespecies.org/non-native-species/information-portal/view/3175) to identify grey squirrels. Red squirrels are a protected species, so make sure you identify the correct species.

Your species management plan will give details of the management actions you’ve agreed with your Natural England adviser or Forestry Commission woodland officer.

Forest Research has information on controlling grey squirrels in forests and woodlands in the UK (https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/publications/controlling-grey-squirrels-in-forests-and-woodlands-in-the-uk/).

Manage by trapping

You can manage grey squirrels effectively by trapping them. You can:
- trap in early spring (usually from March to April) and again in the summer (usually June and July) if there is still evidence of grey squirrel causing damage
- use a live capture trap where red squirrels or pine martens are present or suspected – if you know red squirrels and pine martens are not present, you may use an approved spring trap
- locate all traps and any associated tunnels in suitable habitat and minimise the risk of capturing non-target species
- bait the traps for 5 days before they are set – if bait is taken in this period, you can set the trap (if you use whole maize as bait, a squirrel will only eat the germ and discard the kernel, whereas a mouse will chew the whole kernel)
- move the trap to a more suitable location if bait is not taken after 5 days
Shooting at bait stations

You can shoot grey squirrels as part of a management programme but unplanned incidental or occasional shooting does not count as part of your management effort.

Use multiple bait stations as part of the management programme. Visit each bait station multiple times a week with each visit lasting several hours. Trail cameras can help to monitor bait stations to understand when it’s best to visit.

Management by drey poking

Drey poking is acceptable as a supporting management method to assist with shooting. Drey poking is particularly effective at times of year when grey squirrels are less active, but it is not suitable as a sole management strategy. Drey poking must not be used in areas where red squirrel or pine marten are found as they may be occupying the dreys.

Shooting at dreys is not suitable as a management method. It is unlikely to be effective, as they are too dense for pellets to penetrate and may be occupied by non-target species.

Free shooting of individual squirrels is not a suitable management strategy as it is unlikely to be effective.

When to carry out management

It’s best to carry out grey squirrel management for tree protection in March or April. You can repeat in June or July if there’s still evidence of damage.

For red squirrel conservation, you can carry out surveillance and grey squirrel management all year round, but it’s most effective when the least amount of natural food is available.

How to dispatch trapped squirrels

Use cranial concussion or an airgun to dispatch any grey squirrels caught in a live trap. If you cannot use an airgun on site, you may also use an approved spring trap attached to the cage trap.

Anyone who intends to trap grey squirrels will need appropriate training.

Dispose of grey squirrel carcasses responsibly once dispatched, for example, by incineration or burial (you may not be able to do this some locations, such as SSSIs). Ensure you have all the necessary permissions before undertaking this work.

Trap inspection and maintenance

Check traps at least once a day. You may need to check them more frequently after severe weather events to make sure they’re working correctly. Check:
- any tethers for damage
- any stakes and knots are secure
- no debris has entered the trap
- the trap monitoring unit (if using) and trap door for damage
You can log each inspection in your species management plan.

Have regard to legislation and good practice relevant to the actions you carry out, such as the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

To check which spring traps are legal for capturing grey squirrels, check:
- the Spring Traps Approval (England) Order 2018 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/1190/made)
- the Spring Traps Approval (Variation) (England) Order 2021 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2021/19/made)