New landscape-scale rainforest restoration project

The South Assynt Project, led by Woodland Trust Scotland in partnership with the Assynt Foundation, has become the our eighth and most northerly landscape-scale focus project. The 18,400ha project aims to restore a range of habitats, including expanding and connecting temperate rainforest remnants. As a result, Alliance for Scotland’s Rainforest focus projects now cover just over 15% of Scotland’s rainforest zone.

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Zombie spider fungus found in Argyll

You might have seen this story already in the press… but a rare Gibellula fungus that turns spiders into “zombies” has been found in Argyll. It is one of 650 species recorded by local people in the West Cowal Habitat Restoration Project, an ASR landscape-scale focus project led by Argyll Coast and Countryside Trust (ACT). The story has proved very popular with the media, and even circulated in America!

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Major project at Glenfinnan creates more rainforest

Network Rail has completed a pioneering £300k biodiversity project with Forestry and Land Scotland near the Glenfinnan viaduct. The project involved restoration of rainforest and peatland habitats including tree planting across 200 hectares. CEO at FLS, Kevin Quinlan, said, “We have been exploring corporate partnerships for a while and our work with Network Rail at this site is a very good example of what can be achieved with this collaborative approach.”

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The long road to the restoration of Scotland’s rainforest

Paul Walton from RSPB Scotland writes in Holyrood magazine about how awareness and appreciation of Scotland’s rainforest has increased immensely in recent years, due to the collaborative efforts of the Alliance for Scotland’s Rainforest. He argues that while the ASR has laid the foundation for the restoration of this globally important habitat, providing economic and social opportunities to rainforest communities, the question remains as to how to access the long-term, substantial funding that will enable this to happen.

> Read the article

Could the next ‘Tree of the Year’ grow in Scotland’s rainforest?

This year's national contest, hosted by the Woodland Trust, celebrates magnificent oaks across the UK. Twelve oak trees have been shortlisted, including the awe-inspiring Skipinnish Oak at Achnacarry, Lochaber, situated in one of ASR’s landscape-scale focus projects. The winner will represent the UK in the European Tree of the Year competition. Anyone can vote, and the deadline is 21 October.

> Find out more about the Skipinnish oak and cast your vote

New moss trail at Benmore Botanic Garden

Despite their great beauty and diversity, mosses are often overlooked. So Benmore Botanic Garden, located in the rainforest zone near Dunoon in Argyll, has created a moss trail to highlight these wonderfully diverse and important native plants. The self-guided Moss Trail is free with admission price and you'll be provided with a hand lens to magnify your moss finds.

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Scotland’s rainforest on the telly!

The first episode of a new series on BBC2, Scotland the New Wild, features beautiful footage of rainforest at Ballachuan and Ariundle in Argyll. Producer Jon Morrice said, "Filming inside Scotland's temperate rainforests for the series was a fascinating experience... When filming, we used a variety of different specialised lenses and cameras to get super close-up shots of these tiny lichens and mosses, hopefully revealing their intricacy and beauty to the viewer”. 

> Tune in to episode one at 38 mins in

Find out more at www.savingscotlandsrainforest.org.uk
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