Dartmoor is home to some of the UK’s last remaining temperate rainforests. These magical places of ancient oak, moss-covered boulders, lichens, rushing streams and rich wildlife are incredibly rare. But today, only tiny fragments remain, and many are struggling to survive.
Our goal is simple, but ambitious: To double the area of rainforest on Dartmoor’s commons.
By allowing trees to regenerate naturally and reducing pressures such as overgrazing, we can help these extraordinary habitats recover and expand. This will benefit wildlife, store carbon, improve water quality and create a richer, more resilient landscape for future generations.
Imagine valleys filled once again with tangled oak woodland, birdsong echoing through sheltered gorges, streams shaded by trees and rare mosses and lichens thriving across the moor.
You can read more about why this matters in our new blog by rainforest campaigner Guy Shrubsole here.
Share your thoughts
To make rainforest restoration happen, we need decision-makers, whether landowners, commoners, local authorities, or national bodies, to see that people genuinely care about bringing trees and wildlife back to the high moor, to Dartmoor’s common land.
Too often, we only hear the voices against change. We want to show something different. A powerful public chorus calling for a wilder Dartmoor.
That’s why we’re inviting you to help us build a shared vision for the future of Dartmoor’s rainforests. We really want to hear YOUR thoughts and reflections.
Your contribution could be:
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A short reflection on why rainforest restoration matters to you
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A memory of trees or woodland on Dartmoor
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A hope for what future generations might experience there
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A poem, drawing, photograph or piece of artwork
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Or simply a sentence beginning:
“I’d love to see Dartmoor’s rainforests…”
Whether it’s a few words, a sketch or a longer piece, every contribution helps demonstrate the strength of public support for restoring these rare and beautiful habitats.
What to do
Send your submission to: info@dartmoornature.org.uk
We’ll feature selected contributions as part of a collective public showcase celebrating the future of Dartmoor’s rainforests and helping build support for their recovery.
If you’re not sure where to start, you could ask yourself:
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What does the return of rainforest on Dartmoor mean to you?
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What wildlife would you love to see return?
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What should future generations experience on the moor?
Thank you so much for being part of this.
Together, we can help bring back Dartmoor's rainforests.