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Bid to restore rare Atlantic rainforest secures £6m lottery grant
A five-year project to restore Scotland’s rare Atlantic rainforest has secured almost £6m from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Led by Woodland Trust Scotland, Our Rainforest Futures will establish three hubs to involve local communities in restoring habitats and create training and work opportunities.
The hubs will serve Torridon, Morvern and mid-Argyll, where communities will be offered training in habitat restoration, deer management and removing invasive species. Scotland’s west coast has about 75,000 acres of designated rainforest, home to hundreds of species, but woodland is declining amid pressure from grazing, invasive plants and disease. The project hopes to create more than 20 jobs and 15 trainee posts.
In short
- Almost £6m will fund a five-year rainforest restoration project.
- Three community hubs will be set up on Scotland’s west coast.
- The project hopes to create more than 20 jobs and 15 trainee posts.
Explained simply
Atlantic rainforest is a rare type of temperate woodland found on Scotland’s west coast. It supports hundreds of species, but much of it is under pressure from grazing animals, invasive plants and disease.
Woodland Trust Scotland is leading a five-year effort to restore parts of this woodland. Its hubs in Torridon, Morvern and mid-Argyll will involve local people in habitat work and offer training in areas such as deer management and invasive species removal. The work matters both for the woodland and for the communities around it, with plans for new jobs and trainee posts.