Rainforest appeal donations doubled during Earth Raise Week

Friends of the Lake District launches rainforest appeal with donations doubled during Earth Raise Week

Friends of the Lake District is calling on the public to help save one of Cumbria’s rarest habitats as we launch an urgent fundraising appeal to restore temperate rainforest in the Rusland Valley. Every donation you make between 22–29 April through the Big Give’s Earth Raise campaign is doubled, making your contribution go twice as far.

Temperate rainforests once covered around 20% of the UK, yet today it covers less than 1%. These internationally rare habitats thrive only in very specific conditions of high rainfall, humidity and mild temperatures. Their rich, sheltered microclimates are home to mosses, lichens, fungi and ferns, with some species rarely found outside remaining fragments of Cumbrian woodland.

We currently looks after two neighbouring woods in the Rusland Valley – Resp Haw and Bull Coppice. We carried out assessments in conjunction with the charity Plantlife that revealed several rainforest indicators within these woods. Since then our volunteers and contractors have helped us carry out work – such as species monitoring, veteran tree care, glade creation and invasive-species control – to improve these habitats.

Photos from Resp Haw wood in the Rusland Valley including lichen, mosses, fungi and our volunteer Marion.

We are about to be entrusted with additional adjoining woodland, expanding our stewardship to 72 acres—creating a rare and time-sensitive opportunity to revive a thriving rainforest landscape.

Friends of the Lake District’s land manager, Jan Darrall, said: “The thought of a rainforest in Cumbria enchants and inspires people. We have a real opportunity to restore these ancient landscapes and protect rare wildlife. Let’s save them while we still can.”

Hidden rainforest species

Marion Brown, who lives in the Rusland Valley and who volunteers for Friends of the Lake District, added: “You could spend an entire day in the Friends of the Lake District woods and still not find all the amazing rainforest species hiding in there. Every tree, rocky outcrop and dry-stone wall is like a mini city. But like much of the remaining small fragments of temperate rainforest in the UK, these woods are under threat from non-native species, disease and climate change.

“It’s been very special to be part of the rainforest restoration work over the past two years and I’m delighted that Friends of the Lake District will be caring for more woodlands in the valley soon. It means more temperate rainforest will be on the path to a long and healthy future.”

The rainforest appeal is part of Earth Raise, the UK’s largest environmental match‑funding initiative. From 12pm on 22 April to 12pm on 29 April, public donations made through the Big Give platform will be matched pound for pound.

More information and a link to the Earth Raise donation platform can be found at www.friendsofthelakedistrict.org.uk/rainforest-appeal