Restoring Cornwall’s lost rainforest

When most people think of Cornwall, they think of sweeping coastlines, big waves and glorious beaches.

Yet, tucked away in a damp, green valley near Looe, Cornwall Wildlife Trust is starting work to restore one of the world’s rarest and most enchanting habitats – a temperate rainforest.

Unlike tropical rainforests, these magical woodlands thrive in cool, misty climates, where mosses, lichens, and ferns drape every tree trunk and branch. Once widespread across the British Isles, less than 1% now remains.

This precious ecosystem will be restored at West Muchlarnick, near Looe, thanks to the generosity of Cornwall Wildlife Trust supporters and a long-term partnership with Aviva. A public appeal in 2024 raised more than £67,000 from members and supporters of the Trust. Earlier this year, Aviva committed long-term funding as part of its 50-year, £38 million UK Temperate Rainforest Restoration Programme, enabling the planting of 30,000 native trees.

The 150-acre site, lying in the humid West Looe Valley, is perfectly placed for rainforest revival, with ancient hedgerows, veteran trees, and streamside fragments of woodland that have remained unchanged for hundreds of years.

Survey work has already revealed the remarkable biodiversity hidden within this landscape. Over 130 species of lichen have been recorded so far, including 19 species for which the UK has an international responsibility to conserve. The globally rare hazel gloves fungus (Hypocreopsis rhododendri) has recently been found – a true hallmark of temperate rainforest conditions that demonstrates the importance of the site.

Other discoveries, such as dormouse evidence in the woodland fringe, are shaping the woodland’s design, with new planting and wildlife corridors planned to connect and protect these sensitive species. In addition, surveys have identified key areas with rich meadow habitat, which will be retained as grassland and enhanced through cattle grazing. An area of drained land will also be restored as a wetland, benefiting wildlife and improving the resilience of the catchment by slowing the flow of water into the West Looe River.

A programme of events, including guided walks, volunteering and tree planting days, is planned as the project progresses, involving local schools and the community as much as possible in this fantastic adventure. Project Manager Alison Smith says: “Restoring this incredible habitat will provide vital refuge for wildlife, store carbon, and benefit local communities for generations to come.”

You can find out more about the project and get involved by visiting the website and searching for the temperate rainforest restoration project.

CORNWALL WILDLIFE TRUST
Five Acres, Allet,
Truro TR4 9DJ
01872 273939
cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk