Commenting on the publication, Confor National Manager for England John Bruce said: "As I noted in my December 2025 England National Manager Newsletter, there had been no update at that point on the publication of detailed Grey Squirrel or Deer Management Action Plans. A recent Forestry Commission and Natural England blog published during National Tree Week (to which Confor contributed) usefully set out the scale of the challenge and the work already underway across the sector. This policy statement largely reflects and formalises that position.
"Grey squirrels remain one of the most significant barriers to establishing resilient broadleaf woodlands and producing future-quality timber. With 2025 classed as a mast year in many parts of England, the risk of increased damage into 2026 is a real concern for woodland owners and managers. I already have early plans to look more closely at grey squirrel issues on member estates during 2026."
Longer-term options
The policy statement acknowledges that current legal grey squirrel control methods are often described as ineffective by landowners, as they need to be repeated annually, and sets out why Defra is supporting research into potential longer-term options alongside existing approaches.
It highlights ongoing research into fertility control, led by UKSA and the Animal and Plant Health Agency, as a potential future non-lethal management tool. However, this work remains at a research stage, and significant questions remain around delivery, effectiveness at scale, and practical application in large woodland landscapes.
The statement also references gene drive as an emerging, non-lethal form of population management. This is clearly framed as a long-term and highly regulated research concept. Any future consideration of gene drive would require substantial further work, including environmental risk assessment, independent expert review and public consultation, before authorisation could be considered.
Neither fertility control nor gene drive is presented as a near-term or deployable solution, and both are described as requiring significant further development before they could play any role in managing grey squirrel impacts in practice.
Issues raised by members
During the extended period without a clear delivery framework, members have raised a range of practical concerns, including:
- The need to move beyond long-term containment towards local population eradication in priority areas.
- Questions over whether immunocontraception can operate effectively at scale in large woodland landscapes.
- Concerns that pine marten reintroduction, while beneficial for biodiversity, may complicate existing squirrel control efforts in some productive woodland settings.
Commenting on this, John Bruce said: "These differing perspectives underline the need for greater clarity and a coherent long-term delivery strategy, particularly if woodland creation, timber supply, biodiversity and resilience objectives are to be delivered together."