The year has got off to a good start for The Vincent Wildlife Trust, with £63,000 received towards the next stage of the Pine Marten Recovery Project. The two main grants have been received from the Garfield Weston Foundation and The Waterloo Foundation. This will enable Stage Two of the project to progress in 2017 when we will be developing interest in the project in Mid Wales by working with volunteers, local community groups and businesses. Activities will include the expansion of a volunteer network trained in monitoring the released animals, working with local landowners and shooting syndicates, encouraging more educational links to the project and establishing a pine marten eco-tourism group. The long-term aim of the project – a sustainable pine marten population – is more likely to be achieved with local support and the idea is to develop a demonstrable model that can form the basis of community engagement elsewhere, should other pine marten translocations take place.

Chief Executive, Natalie Buttriss said ‘This funding comes at an important time in the project’s progression, and matches major partner funding already secured from PTES, Chester Zoo and The Woodland Trust. The last two years have been focused on the translocation of the martens from Scotland to Wales, which has been very successful. We can now turn our attention to deepening the benefits that a recovering population of pine martens can bring to people.’

In addition to the New Year grants, contributions for the project have been forthcoming from a number of other foundations, companies and individuals.

Our outstanding funding requirement now stands at £80,000 over the next two years – please support us if you can and help secure a brighter future in southern Britain for this charismatic and beautiful creature.