Lost Rainforests of Britain began as a personal blog written by Guy Shrubsole, author of Who Owns England?. It has since evolved into both a campaign, and a forthcoming book, ‘The Lost Rainforests of Britain’, to be published by William Collins in October 2022.
Despite their importance and significance, Britain’s temperate rainforests now only remain in fragmented pockets, including in Dartmoor National Park. Historically, temperate rainforests covered a much larger area of Britain and, thanks to our maritime climate, the habitat has the potential to cover 5% of England and 20% of Britain overall. To compare, just 10% of England and 13% of Britain is currently covered by woodland, and the majority of this is conifer plantations.
As recent hosts of COP26 and with Ministers becoming increasingly supportive of nature-based solutions, there is no better time for the Government to bring back Britain’s lost temperate rainforests. Working with Seahorse Environmental, Guy has evolved this campaign to help increase awareness of Britain’s lost rainforests among the public, Parliament and in Government with coverage of the campaign in The Telegraph, The Guardian and BBC Radio 4.
The campaign is calling for the Government to implement a ‘Great British Rainforests Strategy’ that would include a high-level commitment to restoration and sufficient protection of remaining temperate rainforest and funding for the restoration of the habitat.
Follow us on Twitter to stay up to date with the campaign – @LostRainforests
Lost Rainforests of Britain 
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I absolutely love these forests, having known patches in Forest of Bowland and Wales.
Fantastic you’re doing this research. Thankyou!
Penny Miller
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Looking forward to reading the research and finding out about these forests what protections they should have.
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Thank you for starting this project. I look forward to receiving updates and hope to contribute one day (when COVID restrictions allow)
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Hi Guy,
Excellent project!
I am also looking at doing the same as part of my PhD research. If we could have a chat about this that would be great? If you could send me an email at A.ormond@sms.ed.a.uk that would be great.
Best,
Amaris
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There are lots of large pockets of temperate rainforest here in the South Lakes. I’ve loved them for a long time. Great to hear of your research and that they’re receiving some well-deserved attention.
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Hi Guy, it’s a great project you’ve started. I have walked through Monksdale in the Yorkshire Dales on afew occasions and wonder if it would qualify? The walls bordering the stream are buried in moss and the trees covered in lichin, a few hardy cows navigate the fallen trees but don’t seem to damage the habitat. Good luck with the project
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I was also thinking of Monksdale, but it’s the Derbyshire Dales, not Yorkshire unless there’s another by coincidence.
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What a fascinating and important subject.Well done for initiating it.As someone who has recently lived in rural France and the NE of Scotland, I have been thinking and comparing countryside, habitat, and different management etc for a while.I now live next to the Wrekin Hill in Shrophire and watch with anguish how road building, house building, etc is encroaching with no thought for the environment.
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Great idea, I seem to remember many places like that from my childhood in Cornwall around the Fal estuary. Similar environmental conditions to those around Totnes in some ways I expect.
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This is a revelation to me. I was totally unaware of the existence of temperate rain forests (or fragments thereof) here in the UK.
Thank you for taking on this important project. Looking forward to discovering more and doing what l can to help protect these woodlands.
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A fantastic and essential project that will benefit our climate and preserve the unique biodiversity these forests support!
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Lots of lichen covered tree trunks/branches and moss-covered boulders on the Malvern Hills, Worcestershire.
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Good luck with your project. I loved your book. I wish this project was something I could contribute to but Central Bedfordshire where I live ( near to the borders of herts and Bucks) has mainly ‘manufactured’ forests created by the landowners. There are small pockets of ancient oak forests that have been protected, which are beautiful.
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Excellent work. Knowledge leads to action.
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Interesting! We used the Plantlife Resource https://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/our-work/publications/how-healthy-is-your-rainforest-survey-form to survey our local woodland here in Devon during lockdown.
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Interesting! We used the Plantlife Resource https://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/our-work/publications/how-healthy-is-your-rainforest-survey-form to survey our local woodland here in Devon during lockdown.
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Just come across this site from Guardian article, and coincidentally have just donated to plantlife.org.uk via ‘double your donation from The Big Green Match Fund’. David Lamacraft is the lichen & moss specialist for the charity Plantlife. Maybe he’s already involved?
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From little oaks….
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Great stuff! I am currently living in Argyll near some rainforest areas to the north. Hoping to visit them soon.
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Where in Argyll, Robert? I live in Tarbert. Some beautiful pockets of ancient woodland in Knapdale and Kintyre – at present.
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Excellent project
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I think I know of a patch of woodland in Penryn, Cornwall – but it’s been tidied up recently and maybe threatened by development. It’s in a narrow rocky stream valley. I’ll go and look tomorrow. By the way, my real name is Patricia Finney
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https://www.lindagilroy.com/post/wistmans-wood 2014
Great project Guy!
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I was delighted and reassured to read this as it reminded me of a strange experience I had about 60 years ago in Yorkshire. The rest of the family were watching motor-cycles (scrambling I think it’s called) but I was bored. I wandered off on my own and discovered a small wood which seemed enchanted – it was so unlike anything I had ever seen before. The trees were festooned with grey fronds and there was moss and lichen everywhere. How I wish I had had a camera or had made some note of where we were. I have often wondered if it could really have been like I remember as i have never seen anything like it since. Perhps it was.
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I’m an American with deep ancestral roots in England and love to see what’s moving and shaking there. I’m excited about your project as all these remaining forests are at risk across the globe at the hands of humans and the climate change we are causing.
I think it’s so important to protect and re-generate where possible.
You might try to contact Prince Charles or Prince William to see if they might be interested and willing to support this project. Prince Charles seems especially committed to England’s environmental preservation.
Just a thought……
Best Wishes with your project !!!
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Biddle Coombe in the Mendips is a good example. I think a few of the other Mendip Coombes have the epiphytes as well, generally the longer and steeper sided ones.
I would have to revisit to check exactly which ones.
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Fascinating and encouraging report. The woods at Shaugh Prior in Devon look like this.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaugh_Prior
When my back is better I will go and take up-to-date photos.
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You may be able to get help and advice on locations of these ancient woodland from English Nature or Natural England or whatever they are now called (formerly Nature Conservancy Council). They will have, or should be able to, designate official protection for these woods through SSSI or NNR designation.
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Lydford Gorge seems to be very similar to what has been described
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I learned about this from my science and nature mag and it sounds great.
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I live close to Hawes Water and walk in the ancient woods here. It’s a truly magical and spiritual place, untouched and very beautiful. A fantastic project. Thank you
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I have just finished your excellent book on Britain’s rainforests.
I thought you might be interested in this research. No sheep involved!
https://arkeonews.net/neanderthals-caused-ecosystems-to-change-125000-years-ago/
Best wishes
Emma
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I would just like to say well done on the mapping project, but also point out that Rowen is in the CONWY Valley, not the Ogwen Valley.
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