squirrels then spread south into Epping Forest and were firmly established there
by 1938 despite rigorous control measures which looked as though they might be
successful at the time. They grey squirrel was common in the Forest during the
early 1950's and the red squirrel very rare. Low breeding rates following tree
seed failure in 1954 led to a decline of the grey squirrel in 1955/56. This did not
allow a recovery of the red squirrel population which finally became extinct
sometime between 1957 and 1960. There was thus a 20/25 year period of co-
existence of the two species. This is much longer than normally occurs in small
woods and may result from the red squirrels ability to survive competition
longer in its preferred habitat of large woodlands.
Grey squirrel numbers increased in the early 1960's and the species is now
widespread and common, even well into the Leytonstone area. Numbers still
fluctuate in response to variation in tree seed production. Systematic control
seems to have been abandoned in 1965 although shooting by forest keepers still
occurs.
The whole of the above account is based on the work by Harris (1974).
BADGERS
If Buxton (1898) is to be believed, the badger was extinct in Epping Forest
at the time the Corporation of the City of London took on the management of
the Forest in 1878. Buxton released 'several pairs' of badgers in the Forest in
1886. They lived in a large 'holt' in Loughton and Laver (1898) published an
illustration of this sett (reprinted here as figure 3). It is uncertain where this sett
was but it is probably either Loughton Camp or to the east of Broadstrood
Lodge. Both these setts survived in active use until recent years.
Laver (1898) also gives some other records of badgers near Epping Forest.
The records from Hill Hall Wood, Theydon Mount and nearby 'Shailsmoor
Spring' in 1874 cast some doubt on Buxton's (1898) assertion that badgers had
long been absent from the Forest until the time of the 1886 introductions.
Epping Forest badgers seem to have prospered during the first half of this
century; aided, perhaps, by further introductions. Between 1919 and 1930
G. Dent 'turned down a good many (badgers) in Epping and Hatfield Forests'
(Cowlin, 1972).
The setts at Loughton Camp and near Broadstrood were regularly used
breeding setts and watching badgers at them became popular (see plate I)
following publicity given to these setts in popular books (e.g. Fitter, 1945). By
1960 Loughton Camp was the only active sett on Forest land although
Broadstrood had been used recently and three other long disused setts were
known (Scott, 1960). These three old setts have not been re-used since and are
practically unrecognisable now.
The Broadstrood sett was used, at least by visiting badgers, in 1958 and
1959 (D. Scott, personal communication) and Loughton Camp was used as a
breeding sett until 1961. In September 1961 a sow badger was killed on the
nearby A11 (Cowlin, 1972) and badgers have not bred on Forest soil since.
19