When we think of rainforest, we stereotypically think of South America, Madagascar or Borneo. But guess what? We have small fragments of rainforest right here in the UK… and furthermore, we have huge areas of the UK that are ripe for rewilding back to rainforest!

There are two types of rainforests, tropical and temperate. Tropical rainforests are found closer to the equator where it is warm. Temperate rainforests are found near the cooler coastal areas further north or south of the equator. 

Temperate rainforests typically…

• ​Have an annual rainfall of over 140 cm;
• Have average temperatures that do not have extremes of hot and cold;
• Have common fogs and mists;
• Only about 30% of the sky can be seen, the rest is covered by the canopy.

They occur in mid-latitude, temperate zones, in places which receive heavy rainfall due to an ‘oceanic’ climate. Put more simply: temperate rainforests are very damp woodlands – so damp that plants grow on other plants.

Temperate rainforests have existed for 70 million years. 

“Britain is almost unique globally in having no strictly protected rainforests”
Guy Shrubshole

Temperate rainforests are one of the most varied habitats in the UK, they are treasure troves of biodiversity. The high humidity and low temperature range create the perfect conditions for moisture-loving lichens and bryophytes (mosses and liverworts).

In the UK a good example can contain over 200 different species of bryophytes and 100-200 species of lichen. The tree canopies can support a huge variety of birds; wood warblers, redstarts, treecreepers, green woodpeckers and pied flycatchers. In Dartmoor National Park, some pockets of rainforest contain the exceptionally rare blue ground beetle. 

Despite their ecological importance, Britain’s temperate rainforests now only exist in small isolated areas. The little fragments of temperate rainforest that remain, highlight the lost potential we have across huge swathes of Britain.

To find out more, check out Guy Shrubshole’s informative book and website… https://lostrainforestsofbritain.org/

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