The State of Temperate Rainforest in South West England

Temperate Rainforest is a biome of global significance which is rare and declining, yet supports endemic biodiversity and offers a range of co-benefits including carbon sequestration, natural flood management, climate moderation, and human well-being. The UK hosts a very large proportion of European bioclimatic space suitable for the development of Temperate Rainforest, yet very little of this woodland remains. In SW England, Temperate Rainforest habitat is mostly dominated by oak woodland (NVC communities W11 and W17) and occupies a broad but fragmented distribution across the region. SW temperate rainforest is exposed to a range of current and future threats and challenges, yet there are also significant opportunities for their restoration and expansion. This report compiles national and local datasets to assess the state of SW temperate rainforest and addresses five objectives:
1) Map extent of temperate rainforest zone in SW England;
2) Review the status and condition of existing SW temperate rainforest;
3) Identify areas to focus future restoration efforts in SW England;
4) Review the key threats and opportunities for SW temperate rainforest;
5) Highlight gaps in knowledge and identify future research needs.
The report achieves these objectives by combining a geospatial analysis (GIS) approach with a review of literature and existing site reports.