The South West of England is home to one of the UK’s rarest and most important ecosystems - temperate rainforests. These woodlands thrive in areas with high levels of rainfall and relatively mild temperatures year-round, supporting rare bryophytes and lichens and providing vital benefits, from climate regulation and natural flood management to supporting human wellbeing.
The west coasts of Britain and Ireland are one of the few places in the world with the right conditions for these forests to thrive, making them a unique and irreplaceable part of our natural and cultural heritage, and a global priority for conservation.
Yet, only a small fragments of these rainforests survive today.
Recent work by researchers from the University of Plymouth assessing the state of the South West rainforests found that around 40% of the region offers the appropriate climatic conditions to support a rainforest landscape. But less than 10% of the South West’s rainforest climatic zone currently includes suitable woodland and only 1% of existing woodlands are located in the most favourable zone that supports temperate rainforests (called the hyper-oceanic zone), highlighting just how rare these habitats are.
Working in Partnership
The South West Rainforest Alliance (SWRA)
The SWRA is a voluntary group of over 20 conservation bodies, local authorities, landowners and specialists that recognises the importance and vulnerability of the region’s remaining temperate rainforests and the wider temperate rainforest landscape, and is working in partnership to protect, restore, and expand this valuable and internationally distinctive habitat in South West England.
Notable work is already underway across the region, and organisations have come together through the SWRA to pursue a shared vision: a rainforest landscape that is thriving once again - richer in biodiversity, better connected, and more resilient to future threats.
The State of the South West Rainforests
A new report conducted by the University of Plymouth for the South West Rainforest Alliance provides the first ecological baseline of temperate rainforests in the region. Click on the 'Read more' button to access the full report and the executive summary.
Full Report
