P-06-1333 Stop Natural Resources Wales from tree felling that threatens red squirrel survival - Petitioner to Committee, 09 January 2024

Thank you for the opportunity to respond to the NRW 'Briefing note' on Petition P-06-1333 'Stop Natural Resources

Wales from tree felling that threatens red squirrel survival.'

Regional species management is reliant upon adaptive management. This requires mechanisms to be in place so that plans have flexibility and can evolve quickly to emerging ecological data. 

We have recently recommenced meetings with NRW staff to try and ensure this is achieved. However it is early days and there have been false dawns before.

I would like the Petitions Committee to consider keeping this petition open for perhaps 12 months to allow the outcomes of collaborative working to then be reviewed by them. We have already had two petitions criticizing NRW and have shown that the issue is something which commands significant public interest with between 3K & 10K signing in only a few months. 

Kind regards

Dr Craig Shuttleworth