Urgent appeal to support Europe’s first temperate rainforest research station in Cornwall

Monday, 28 April 2025 16:33

Almost a fifth of the British Isles was once covered in temperate rainforest — now, less than 1% remains. In a major effort to reverse this decline, the Thousand Year Trust is raising funds to create Europe’s first temperate rainforest research station, right here in Cornwall.

The state-of-the-art centre will be built at the edge of an ancient rainforest on Bodmin Moor, offering a base for scientists, volunteers, and local communities to study, protect and restore this rare and vital ecosystem.

Designed in partnership with award-winning architects at Unknown Works, the research station will feature an accessible green roof that will serve as a test bed for pioneering studies. Once completed, it will support world-class research into the role of temperate rainforests in climate regulation, biodiversity conservation, and human health and wellbeing.

Despite the importance of these habitats, the UK’s rainforests have remained largely overlooked. Hundreds of research stations exist to study tropical rainforests globally, but there is currently no dedicated facility for Europe’s temperate rainforests.

The Thousand Year Trust, the only UK charity solely focused on restoring rainforest landscapes, hopes the project will not only lead to better understanding and conservation of these forests but also reconnect people with nature.

The charity is aiming to raise £50,000 through Crowdfunder towards the costs of the centre. Time is running out to support the campaign, and donations will help create a space for research, conservation, and community learning. Donate here.

PRESS PLAY to hear more from Bianca Richardson from The Thousand Year Trust...

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