A lottery grant will fund three hubs to restore Scotland's rainforest
The National Lottery Heritage Fund put almost £6 million into a five-year project led by Woodland Trust Scotland, with training in Torridon, Morvern, and mid-Argyll.
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Almost £6 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund will back a five-year effort to restore Scotland's Atlantic rainforest, with hubs in Torridon, Morvern, and mid-Argyll. The BBC reported the award on November 11, 2026. Our Rainforest Futures is an Alliance for Scotland's Rainforest project led by Woodland Trust Scotland, with Argyll Countryside Trust, the Community Woodlands Association, Plantlife, RSPB Scotland, and SRUC. The plan is to train local people in habitat restoration, deer management, and removal of invasive plants.
About 75,000 acres of rain-soaked west-coast woodland carry the rainforest label because of the oceanic plants that grow there, including rare lichens, and the woods also hold glow-worms and slime moulds. Overgrazing, invasive plants, and disease are the threats the report names. The Torridon hub would work with Kinlochewe, Shieldaig, Lochcarron, Applecross, and Gairloch. Morvern would include Lochaline, Strontian, and Tobermory on Mull. Mid-Argyll would include Crinan, Tayvallich, Lochgilphead, Ardrishaig, and Tarbert. Caroline Clark of the heritage fund said a 2025 survey found fewer than one in three people knew the rainforest existed. Julie Stoneman of Plantlife said the hope is more than 20 jobs and 15 trainee posts. The news is the grant and the three hubs. The jobs are not filled yet, and the woods are not restored.
For the classroom
The BBC reported on November 11, 2026, that a project to restore Scotland's Atlantic rainforest received almost £6 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The money will support three hubs over five years, in Torridon, in Morvern, and in mid-Argyll. Local people will be trained for habitat work, deer management, and removing plants that do not belong. About 75,000 acres of wet woodland on the west coast are called Atlantic rainforest because of the rare plants that grow there. Deer, livestock, invasive plants, and disease are the pressures named in the report. A 2025 survey found that fewer than one in three people knew this forest existed. Plantlife hopes the project can create more than 20 jobs and 15 trainee posts. Those jobs are a hope, not a payroll that has started.
- Why would a very wet forest on the Scottish coast be called a rainforest?
- What is one job a trainee could do to help a woodland?
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Torridon, United KingdomTreesWildlife conservationVolunteersGood news on November 11
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