More than £1.76 million is being invested in restoring and expanding Scotland’s internationally important temperate rainforest, with funding shared across ten projects stretching from Argyll to Assynt.
The Scottish Government Rainforest Restoration Fund, managed by NatureScot, will support projects working to protect and regenerate native woodland habitats on the west coast, where Scotland’s remaining rainforest survives in fragmented pockets.
Scotland’s temperate rainforest now covers around 30,000 hectares, roughly the size of Edinburgh, and plays a vital role in capturing up to one million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year while helping to prevent flooding and soil erosion.
These woodlands are home to rare ferns, mosses, liverworts and lichens that thrive in the mild and damp west coast climate, but they face ongoing threats from invasive non native species such as rhododendron ponticum and pressure from deer grazing.
Among the projects receiving a share of the £1,765,951 funding is the Nevis Landscape Partnership’s Nevis Nature Network Rainforest Restoration Project, which will focus on habitat restoration, community engagement and the removal of invasive species across the Ben Nevis and Glen Nevis area.
Rhododendron ponticum is currently present across around 400 hectares of the project area, and the funding will allow long term work to reduce its impact and support native woodland recovery.
Woodland Trust is also among the successful awardees, securing support for three rainforest projects across the Highlands and west coast.
The South Assynt Collaboration Project will concentrate on managing deer impacts and carrying out a detailed study into the social, cultural, political and economic context of the area.
The Glen Torridon Partnership project will remove and control rhododendron, train residents and land managers in invasive species removal, and carry out follow up maintenance to protect restored habitats.
The Regenerating Craignish Rainforest Habitats project will combine deer and invasive species management with community engagement and job creation in the local area.
Funding has also been awarded to Appin Community Development Trust to recruit and train six part time squad members, alongside a volunteer team leader and volunteers, to eradicate invasive species across two priority areas of Appin.
The project will also take forward work to improve local deer management, including collecting additional deer census data and carrying out a deer fencing survey.
NatureScot Head of Funding Iain Sime said:
“Those who live and work within Scotland’s unique and internationally important remaining rainforest are at the heart of the vital work to restore these incredible habitats.
“This funding will support employment, help the biodiversity of the rainforest flourish and strengthen the resilience of west coast communities against the impacts of climate change.”
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs Mairi Gougeon said:
“Scotland’s rainforest is an iconic and globally important landscape and these projects are an excellent example of how we can restore our rainforest, work closely with local communities and increase employment and voluntary opportunities.”
Julie Stoneman from the Alliance for Scotland’s Rainforest said:
“We are delighted that the Scottish Government has provided crucial funding for these projects.
“This funding is an important step towards securing the future of our internationally important rainforest and supporting the people who live and work among these amazing woodlands.”
