A CEREDIGION project is aiming to protect the native red squirrels of mid Wales.

Since 2014 Coed Y Bont have been working with the Mid Wales Red Squirrel Partnership to protect these important mammals.

Red squirrels are native to Wales, but non-native grey squirrels spread across the country in around the 1950s.

Grey squirrels are larger and dominate the landscape, as well as transmitting disease.

However, a relic population of native red squirrels survived in mid Wales, the most northerly of these being in the tops of the valley above Pontrhydfendigaid and Strata Florida.

DNA work has shown that these squirrels have unique genetics only found in mid Wales.

The active management of these community woods to benefit wildlife in the community, includes planting plans as well as the control of grey squirrels.

This will enable red squirrels to return to these woods in the future as the population recovers.

To celebrate the co-operation between Coed Y Bont and The Mid Wales Red Squirrel Partnership, the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales funded the Red Squirrel Interpretation board.

The red squirrel carving was carried out by local artist Grace Monaghan, which was erected in January by committee members Chris Harris, Jim and Gareth Cowie.

Chris Harris, Chair said: “Coed Y Bont is proud to be part of a wider project to protect and expand the population of the Red Squirrel. I myself have worked hard over the last 11 years and especially the last 9 years in the conservation of the red squirrel.”

Sarah Purdon, mid Wales red squirrel officer said: “My goal is to get red squirrels back in people’s gardens in mid Wales. They’re within a stones throw of Coed Y Bont, which is a wonderful community resource, so erecting this information board is a first step for me, and hopefully before long there will be red squirrels running around the treetops around it.”