Rich, damp, and dappled, the temperate rainforests of Wales are home to twisting branches, vivid mosses, lichens, rare birds, bats, and insects, steeped in myth and legend.
However, a recent report by conservation organisations paints a grim picture of their condition, urging immediate action from the Welsh government to save these vital ecosystems.
The Alliance for Wales’ Rainforests (AWR), a coalition including Wildlife Trusts Wales, Snowdonia National Park Authority, Coed Cadw (Woodland Trust in Wales), RSPB Cymru, National Trust Cymru, and Plantlife, conducted surveys of 68 rainforest sites across Wales.
Their findings reveal that only one in five sites is in good condition, and none can be classified as very good.
Kylie Jones Mattock, the interim director at Coed Cadw, said: “This report marks a critical step in safeguarding Wales’s natural heritage, underlining the importance of proactive rainforest conservation. We are urging the Welsh government to take notice, and act now whilst we still have time to protect and restore these vital habitats.”
Most sites are plagued by invasive species such as rhododendron and ivy, insensitive grazing, and air pollution. Alarmingly, 70% of the surveyed areas suffer from these pressures, while only 10% are designated as special areas of conservation or sites of special scientific interest, leaving many without adequate protection.
Wales’s temperate rainforests span 768,000 hectares (1.9 million acres), remnants of a post-ice-age forest that once covered much of western Britain. These unique ecosystems thrive in areas with consistent rainfall, a mild climate, and dense tree cover, creating the ideal conditions for moisture-loving plants, lichens, and mosses.
The report highlights their “incredible” biodiversity, with over 200 species of mosses and liverworts recorded at the richest sites and up to 400 species of lichens, including globally rare varieties like the blackberries-in-custard (Pyrenula hibernica).
These rainforests also support bird species such as pied flycatchers, wood warblers, and redstarts, as well as mammals like barbastelle and lesser horseshoe bats. They provide crucial habitats for rare snails, beetles, craneflies, and fungi while acting as significant carbon stores and aiding flood and drought mitigation.
The AWR emphasises the need for urgent measures to preserve these ecosystems.
It flags that Celtic rainforests are places of “deep cultural and historic significance”, a setting for myths and stories, concluding: “The loss of species and habitats is therefore not only a physical loss but also a symbolic loss, a rubbing out of long-forged connections between us, our ancestors, our language and our landscape.”
Recommendations include granting more areas protected status, implementing conservation grazing, controlling invasive species, and investing in research.
By enhancing management practices and prioritising these rainforests, the report underscores the opportunity to safeguard an irreplaceable natural treasure for future generations.
Adam Thorogood, the rainforest programme manager at Plantlife, said: “This landmark report demonstrates the immense value and extreme vulnerability of Wales’s temperate rainforests. This is a concerted clarion call for both better protection and appropriate management of remaining rainforests.
A Welsh government spokesperson said: “We welcome this report and support the important work carried out by AWR to protect and improve our important Celtic rainforest habitats. The importance of our trees and forest landscapes is reflected in our programme for government commitments and we are firmly committed to their protection.”
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