Baby red squirrels arrive just in time for Yorkshire Arboretum's new exhibition

After a slow start the trees at the Yorkshire Arboretum near Castle Howard are reaching their full glory, and complimenting the trees will be an exciting exhibition of new work by York artist Mark Hearld. (Pic: Ian Thomas)

Entitled ‘Autumn at the Arboretum’, the exhibition will run from 9 November and features new collages inspired by Mr Hearld’s regular visits to the 120 acre site, and the beauty he finds in the diversity of shape, form and colour among the trees and shrubs – as well as the Red Squirrels which are one of his favourite animals.

Mr Hearld said: “I got to know Red Squirrels when I lived in Germany, and now it’s great to be able to see them at the Yorkshire Arboretum, where you can get really close to them. They look wonderful among the autumn leaves."

John Grimshaw, Arboretum Director, said: “We’re very proud to be hosting a show by such a distinguished artist as Mark Hearld, especially as it’s all about this place. It’s fascinating to see our ‘arb’ through an artist’s eyes.”

To the Yorkshire Arboretum’s great surprise, the Red Squirrels have produced another litter of kits.

The four new youngsters are the offspring of parents Holly and Erik, and are just making their first exploratory trips out of their nestbox.

It’s late for kits to emerge, but with ample food provided and an experienced mother they are expected to thrive.

This makes a total of 12 kits produced in their first year.

Some of the earlier kits will soon be going to a reintroduction project in Wales; boosting numbers of this delightful animal around the UK is the aim of this project, funded by the Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund.

Mark Hearld’s ‘Autumn at the Arboretum’ exhibition is open in the Visitor Centre from Thursday, November 9 free of charge, 10 am-4 pm each day until 30 November.

To visit the Red Squirrel Enclosure please book at www.yorkshirearboretum.org/red-squirrels