England’s Rainforest Faces Loss

Merlin Hanbury-Tenison, in Cornwall, England, is working to protect the country’s temperate rainforests. Once covering 20% of the British Isles, these forests now comprise less than 1% due to centuries of deforestation for industry and agriculture. Hanbury-Tenison, a veteran who found healing in the forest after trauma, established the Thousand Year Trust to fund research and advocate for legal protections.

The Devon Wildlife Trust also plants native trees, prioritizing species resilient to climate change. Hanbury-Tenison envisions “Rainforest Farming” on his family’s Cabilla Farm, integrating livestock with biodiversity goals. His father, Robin Hanbury-Tenison, a rainforest researcher, notes the irony of recognizing a 4,000-year-old temperate rainforest on their own land.

The United Kingdom has one of the lowest percentages of forest cover in Europe—roughly 14%—and correspondingly low biodiversity. Plans include building Europe’s first research center dedicated to these forests, but securing sustained funding and policy changes remains a challenge. The work to understand and preserve these ecosystems continues.