Britain's Lost Rainforests are Coming Back - Here's How

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[@LeaveCurious]

Lets rewild our feet together!! Head over to Vivo through this link tidd.ly/3K1gGUq and use code: LEAVECURIOUS to get 20% off *Thanks to Vivobarefoot for sponsoring this video enabling its creation and partnering with Leave Curious to get more people out into nature.

[@Jack93885]

I've been wearing a pair of Vivo Magna FG for a while and I can really recommend them. I think it's also worth noting/appreciating their repair service. I ususally wear my shoes until they're practically falling off my feet and knowing that I can repair instead of replace them is something I really appreciate.

[@LeaveCurious]

@@Jack93885 yeah absolutely, great point dude!

[@Adderkleet]

I don't have a problem with a sponsorship deal like this. But advertising standards (and KZbin TOS) require a clear and unambiguous audible "sponsored by" declaration BEFORE the ad read or endorsement bit. And the link in the video description should also be declared.

[@LeaveCurious]

@@Adderkleetregarding sponsored content KZbin requires creators to check the box for promotional content before uploading, which I’ve done & a message is displayed at the start of the video 👍

[@ellieban]

Literally just bought a pair. Wish I’d seen this first 🤣

[@PIants4life]

Here in Wales, the mountains are massive and beautiful, but then you realise that almost all of these were covered in forests, but because of the crazy amounts sheep, trees aren't able to even begin to grow 🫤 Also, great video! Thanks!

[@LeaveCurious]

could you imagine if they were covered in trees? what an epic land scape that would be. cheers :)

[@jammiedodger7040]

Yep Wales is really Barron one of my favourite features about Wales is there stone walls they blend in with nature so well and another thing is the roads majority of which follow the terrain which is what roads should do which gives you the feeling that you’re following the landscape bringing you closer to nature rather than just bulldozing through the landscape destroying habitats, ugly looking roads and just disconnecting you from the ground you drive on.

[@Brit-CK]

I'm hoping for the day when the grants for farming dry up and sheep won't be profitable anymore.

[@jonnoMoto]

there are woods but so much of it is conifer plantations. There is a small jewel near me in the south east of wales where they are gradually replacing conifers with natives. Really need to see more of it.

[@Adam_Davies]

I’m a Park Ranger in a small country park in South Wales and we have a small but very phenomenal temperate rainforest…. It’s such a special ecosystem and one I hope gets a huge increase in government and local council funding in the future! This problem is fixable if the priority and funding is high enough! Great video Rob 😁 keep inspiring people

[@kurtzwar729]

If you have remnant forests around a creek, just remove ALL browsers (sheep, goats and deer) and the forest will spread up the hillside. In Cairngorm Park in southern Scotland, the deer population is kept at a very low level (with master hunters) to allow the remnant forest to spread. Sheep, goats and deer will stop the forest spread. Give the forest a chance to return.

[@LeaveCurious]

yes over grazing really does kill the recovery our native forests. addressing this problem is paramount for real recovery

[@Suitswonderland]

"Master hunters" sure is intriguing, like we have rainforests though, they never went anywhere, but yeah, will gotta remember master hunters, never knew we were so Japanese.

[@agapitoliria]

Reintroducing wolves would actually be a better move.

[@V77710]

Carnivores reporting for duty 🍽️

[@jennyfernandez895]

Need to stop eating them then 💚🌱🐾

[@TheProteanGeek]

Tolkien would be very happy to see people trying to help take the place of the Ents ins protecting and helping the forests of Britain.

[@RolfStones]

Has Merlin considered starting a youtube channel to support his charity? He is a great story teller and has a great perspective. Never looked at humans as hyper keystone species. And that background story is something people will emotionally connect to.

[@airedale1913]

Yes, this! He should absolutely think about starting one, and other social media too - if he can reach the tiktok generation that could make a massive difference, and ditto for Mossy Earth and others.

[@ronward3949]

Treeplanting 2-3 year barefoot trees, can aid, micrositing trees is huge planters must find unique and defensible planting sites taking the specific needs of the Species needs, spacing, and getting into the brush or slash as young trees do get hidden, may have time to take root then start maturing into taller, larger individuals especially when mindful of the many variables aiding in site selection.

[@mcsenn]

Nothing beats Mads Mikkelsens brother, Lars Mikkelsen. Wonderful voice

[@AndreasScharl]

Merlin is a wizard at explaining these rainforests and the need for rewilding for them to thrive! Wish you guys the best success with your fantastic projects!

[@e1123581321345589144]

Yes, it's rather enchanting. He's really trying to do something magical.

[@hatimabbas7111]

Is that the real merlin 💀 Harry Potter ! Come here quick !

[@anjou6497]

Lovely phrasing there !...

[@haarpvalencia]

I'm from Slovenia. Tiny country, but covered in forest, some of it untouched for thosands of years. We have large natural reserves that are gov property designated for conservation, and we have hunters' associations that keep the deer population in check (but also feed the deer in especially cold winters), and we also have a couple hundred wild bears and some wolves living in these ancient forest. They don't come into contact with humans for the most part, but sometimes they will eat some sheep and the gov compensates the farmers when that happens. We also teach our younger generations about the ecosystems so they understand it, dont fear it, but respect it as well. Litering and creating forest fires is prohibited and fined

[@racheledmondson4003]

Great to hear about this, sounds lovely 😊

[@barblc3202]

there's also a link between the health of coastal rainforests and the health of kelp forests in the ocean in terms of sharing nutrients

[@LeaveCurious]

thats really interesting, will be making a video on kelp this summer, so will take a look at this

[@drvanon]

Really looking forward to that video. If you find this to not be true, would you mind posting here?

[@edwardmaddocks2779]

@@LeaveCurious also very interested in the link! look forward to video

[@edwardmaddocks2779]

​@@LeaveCurious I found this: 'Coastal rainforests help regulate the flow of nutrients, sediments, and freshwater into the ocean, which can directly impact the health of kelp forests . Excessive runoff from deforestation or poor land management practices can lead to increased turbidity, sedimentation, and nutrient loading in coastal waters, negatively affecting kelp growth and survival. Conversely, healthy kelp forests help protect coastal areas from erosion and storm surges, creating calmer conditions that benefit coastal rainforests . The dense kelp canopies dampen wave energy, reducing the impact on shorelines and allowing sediments and nutrients to accumulate, supporting the growth of coastal vegetation. Furthermore, both ecosystems are significant carbon sinks, playing a vital role in mitigating climate change . Coastal rainforests sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis, while kelp forests absorb and store carbon in their biomass and in the ocean sediments through a process known as "blue carbon." The interconnectedness of these ecosystems highlights the importance of adopting an ecosystem-based management approach that considers the cumulative impacts on both terrestrial and marine environments . Protecting and restoring coastal rainforests and kelp forests can have synergistic benefits for biodiversity, climate regulation, and coastal resilience.

[@AranchaTraub]

Thank you for sharing these beautiful oak forests … seeing them makes you understand why they are holy …you forgot to mention most of the oaks were needed for building and repairing the ships for the Navy ( HMS Victory 5000 oaks) and all the commercial vessels. Glad that there are reforestation projects for the barren landscape - we need Getafix enchanted oak acorns ;)

[@allolobophorus]

You need to plant shrubs with thorns first. Then the wildlife will use it as shelter from predators and poop out seeds of trees. With the protection by the thorn bushes the tree saplings will grow tall and eventually shade out the thorn thicket. It's the natural succession!

[@just_jen]

The problem is the solution.

[@esbrasill]

That is so very true, oak trees are not a pioneer species. If you plant them in open land, they don't survive without a lot of help. Merlin may want to plant a lot of pioneer species first, the oaks will appear by them self after a while.

[@gouachepottwo7537]

@@allolobophorus mmm ecological succession 🤤

[@gaz8891]

Yes, this is another key aspect to getting a new wood off the ground, so to speak. It did not look right to see those evenly spaced out trees planted in plastic tubing, no need for that at all. Landscape planting in the UK used to be naturalistic, planting say one oak into 6 holly bushes, not the way shown here. We don't need to get people from Africa to advise us, as we already know what to do, at least people who are know their woodland ecology already.

[@jimjames4348]

​@@gaz8891 I'm surprised you have time to do anything, you hounded me with arrogance until I had no option but to delete the whole thread, but not before capturing screenshots of you contradicting yourself in your demented quest to discredit a group of well educated well meaning gardeners and horticulturalists because we made the mistake of asking the creator (not you) a question which you never even answered, just insulted us and our intellect and overwhelm us with conceited ignorance DAILY. I see this is a hobby for you now, you do this on every single thread. Pitiful, but you've given me content. My very first Tiktok video is all about you!

[@ilikevideos4868]

Britain looks like if Saruman had won

[@PhilJonesIII]

Britain is around 12% forest. The average for the rest of Europe is 33%. Way to go Britain.

[@Joyride37]

Also zero predators like wolves and bears. Not having keystone predators is quite bad for the environment, the Yellowstone revival after the reintroduction of wolves is a great example how unhealthy the land was before wolves course corrected it by controlling the grazing population, and while it’s nice on a mental level to walk through a virtually empty forest, it’s unnatural, especially to not know how to avoid and deal with predator species in a healthy way where you can both do you thing and go about your day (granted modern cultures are not great at imparting respect for nature or animals on the whole and people believe they can’t coexist with predators). In the US there’s wolves, cougars, and bears, others. and bear country can be dangerous. But with proper safety measures and habits there’s very little issue. I’ve walked through bear county a number of times, have run into a black bear and grizzly respectively, as well as javelinas down in Arizona (deeply aggressive little assholes). I gave them a wide berth and we were all better off for it

[@Sally4th_]

@@Joyride37 sad fact is most of the UK, especially England, is just too densely populated to support large predator species - there's not enough room for them to have a healthy range. There are parts of Highland Scotland where it might be possible though and there's already been pressure to reintroduce wolves to control the Red Deer population. Reintroducing European Lynx is also being looked at though personally I think we need to focus on supporting our surviving native Wild Cat population first.

[@JanB1605]

@@PhilJonesIII I think that also goes back all the way to Roman times. And medieval times. They use a crazy amount of wood and charcoal. I think most of the deforestation in Germany is also tied back to Roman times.

[@TAP7a]

​@@JanB1605more like the industrial revolution. The Romans did use plenty, but the industrial revolution was multiple orders of magnitude more demanding on natural resources

[@zacklightning3277]

The more I see the landscape of Britain and Ireland the more I realize how much inspiration you can get for certain types of stories like Lord of the rings and Harry Potter because it is incredibly strange landscape like these rainforests you showed

[@tomwhite7983]

I can only imagine the kind of forests Tolkein must have walked through to inspire his literature, that we can no longer go.

[@krisjonesuk]

Tolkien died in 1973. I don’t think we’ve lost any forests since then.

[@tomwhite7983]

@@krisjonesuk Tolkein was born in 1892. He was 18 in 1910. At the turn of the century, I have no doubt there would have been more woodlands around than in 1973. These would have been where he potentially spent his youth. Through his life he probably saw many of these places destroyed.

[@jtw1753]

The most magical forest on the planet is still alive and well, the Redwoods in Northern California. I recommend a visit in your lifetime

[@svenvalefisk8713]

In most of Europe, the late 19th and early 20th century were actually the low point for forests, and they've recovered since then because wood has largely been replaced first by coal, then oil and gas as a fuel source

[@TheHoveHeretic]

From his time in uniform, Tolkien would've been only too aware how much the trenches on both sides depleted forests. That was the original reason for establishment of the UK Forestry Commission

[@hobi1kenobi112]

Exciting! I'd also like to add that places like Yorkshire and Derbyshire get missed out by official sources when discussing rainforests in England. There are plenty of healthy fragments out there, right over as far east as Sheffield and Barnsley. And likely loads more hiding out in these places as well as parts of Cheshire and Staffordshire I should imagine! It's great to see rainforests across Britain get more love and the topic pick up pace.

[@LeaveCurious]

yeah, it be really useful to know about these areas, patches of rain forest, from the perspective of recovery - maybe the zone is larger than we think

[@Northcountry1926]

Here’s hoping 🙏🏼

[@allolobophorus]

You need to plant shrubs with thorns first. Then the wildlife will use it as shelter from predators and poop out seeds of trees. With the protection by the thorn bushes the tree saplings will grow tall and eventually shade out the thorn thicket. It's the natural succession!

[@ciara1045]

also the republic of ireland!

[@Dilbert-o5k]

You need to hurry then as many that I remember from childhood have disappeared over the last 10-20 years grubbed up , possibly for firewood as the land wasn't suitable for building houses on.

[@jeromecoward9370]

Merlin casually dumped tons of information without making it boring. I wish my uni lecturers were like merlin!

[@RowanWolf22]

Merlin lives up to his name! I wish that he had his own KZbin channel, he is incredible to listen to and many would support his channel if he had one. I hope this video and the reach it has will encourage him to make one and educate people even more! You can also add charity links to videos, so people can readily donate easier

[@theryanhollis]

It is crazy that people think of those grass lands as nature. Those grasslands have all the natural characteristics of an abandoned open pit mine. It's a pretty good comparison considering that they are both a destroyed environment to harvest resources.

[@ssgg23]

They do look a bit like the Great Plains out in North America though, which are entirely natural prairies (obviously a lot of agricultural usage there but large forests do not naturally grow there).

[@ncot_tech]

"Green tarmac" is the best description I've ever heard.

[@who-nobody-never]

@@ssgg23 But they aren't. They did burn them down for following bison. Most of the world is modified.

[@ssgg23]

@@who-nobody-never oh my god, no, please read about the natural history of the American prairie. Most of it was not systemically burned by humans. It’s too dry to sustain a typical mesic temperate forest. The few trees that do grow out there tend to congregate around stream beds and on rocky ledges depending on their soil preferences. But other than that the environment favors grass dominance.

[@who-nobody-never]

@@ssgg23 Idk, I learned that at a shitty community college. If I google it says that too though. I suppose it's all up to whatever, but trees change the climate as well. There are large areas where for sure its not been forest, and was wiped out by super floods. But I don't mean the inland northwest scablands. Trees can handle only occasional water better than grass, which is why the grass dies after a quick season. But the forest can't handle fire as well. It's mostly fire keeping trees out of the plains. But seems to be pretty well established they were burning stuff on purpose for reasons of bison hunting. I suppose it'd be a mistake to say that means its dominant. But I think it will turn out more like the amazon, where it was hugely effected by the human element and isn't a pristine nature. Also climates change. Bronze age britain vs now, and the heavy forest management early humans did there as an example.

[@daniadejonghe4980]

what an utterly magical and enchanting landscape

[@exileisland2675]

If tropic jungles are the boisterous, party kids then temperate rainforests are the moody, alternative kids.

[@bobsilentjay7169]

Reintroducing wolves would certainly solve the sheep problem 😂

[@Beesbeeswhatsonthemenu]

👀

[@rice4550]

Farmers would revolt if we ever did that

[@MiraNecole]

@@rice4550 yeah, as much as I would love to have wolves be reintroduced to the UK to help with our deer population and all that but part of me knows that there will be some ignorant humans out there that'll probably drive them to extinction again, because the fear and misconception of wolves still exists even today

[@timmyhexham9603]

That’s how you get werewolves mate!

[@dlxmarks]

I don't think reintroducing even lynx is a politically viable option so any larger carnivores are right out.

[@ruthohare9840]

My little patch is totally spreading into the adjoining field, you would not believe the number of baby oaks in the long grass! 😁 We used to have goats but the last of them has recently been rehomed, so now it's just deer we have to worry about.

[@RayF6126]

Someone else said plant thorned species in the field to protect seedlings. Deer still love the potential fruit, bark, and leaves.

[@charlottescott7150]

This is fantastic. I live near Wistman's wood. I am so lucky. I hope that people respect it.

[@mythtree6348]

share your feeling , and concern .

[@Kraaketaer]

Wasn't a big part of what triggered the industrial revolution in the UK that the islands were so deforested that firewood was essentially unavailable, and they had to mine ever more coal to sustain the growing population? Kind of says a lot. It's good to see that there are areas like these that actually made it through that, and especially ones that aren't just some aristocrat's protected hunting lands. These sound like great projects, and it's wonderful to see people actually speaking up for and doing real work to restore the beautiful diversity of our dreadfully "boring", "unexotic" local areas.

[@chriswarburtonbrown1566]

This is true. If you look at old photos you'll see how naked the landscape looks. But we have increased woodland cover from 4% in 1919 to 13% today.

[@Maverick1.]

I long to see wales become more wild. I feel it would also attract tourism from the rest of Europe as most of the tourism is from England atm

[@SirRobinDeSway]

Does Wales really need more tourism? A little is good..A lot more is not. A lot more destroys the very thing the tourists have come to see,,to experience.

[@Maverick1.]

@@SirRobinDeSway I guess not. Though if you want to get the government on board they like to know they are getting something in return

[@JimmyJr630]

@@SirRobinDeSwayWales needs more tourism in the areas where not many go but the areas such as snowdonia with a lot don’t need more

[@patsysadowski1546]

Wales is incredibly beautiful. From the coast to the valleys. The whole west coast of the Uk is quite magical.

[@marksando3082]

I love temperate rainforests. Spent most of my adult life in the Puget Sound region and the Hoh Rain Forest out on the Olympic Peninsula is delightful.

[@glenmorrison8080]

5:21 Southern California botanist here. I'm a big fan of minimalist shoes for going off trail (cross country). When I have big boots on I end up crushing plants and accidentally flipping sticks and junk up at my legs, but in barefoot style shoes, I just glide through the habitat leaving little trace and much more comfortably. I also sometimes just remove my shoes and socks entirely when passing through areas dominated by invasive grasses with sock-unfriendly sticker seeds. That shit doesn't stab you unless it can get anchor in some fabric, like your socks, so going barefoot makes it's a more pleasant experience. Just gotta watch out for rattlers and thistles, haha.

[@emil_rainbow]

Make a habit of collecting native local providence seeds (not beech or sychamore). Pot them up and grow on for 2/3 years and then Sabre/Cover Plant wherever possible (not in polluting plastic guards). Prune 1-1.5m straight alder and willow shoots and insert directly into wet soil to a depth of 50cm. Denuded riverbanks/streams are a good place to start.

[@Scriptorsilentum]

willow is an incredible species for stabilising soil. I wonder if lilacs are native to the Br Isles? ever try pulling up the roots of a lilac? good way to have a stroke.

[@emil_rainbow]

@@Scriptorsilentum Willow, in all its varieties, is a key riparian and wet heathland pioneer species. Syringa vulgaris is an invasive.

[@Conus426]

Still cant get over how beautiful the moss and lychen-covered oak trees are... twisting and turning into the sky. It looks too perfect to be real

[@johnnyvegas459]

Here in NZ we've always had some parts covered in forest. The areas around where I live in the south. The trees are gone but a lot are slowly regenerated. Like manuka, beech, totara white pine black pine. Coniferous forest. But thanks to the English we do have traditionally planted European woods. Ash, oak, alder and maple forest. Which are beautiful

[@hallstewart]

Cleared plantation near me has been allowed to turn to thick brambles and hawthorn, obstructing the deer. Lo and behold, Oak saplings are now growing!

[@jonnoMoto]

Glad you brought up the fact the impact people have on wistmans. Ive been walking on Dartmoor for decades and the last time i went to wistmans i was disgusted at what i saw. Broken bottles, cans, cigarette ends, plastic wrappers. I brought out what i could but It's hard to have faith in people these days. I went up to Dewerstone rock this weekend from clearbrook via the Dartmoor way. Dogmess in bags. None on the way out but brought back the ones i could. So tired of the mess people make.

[@MsCheesemonster13]

I really don’t understand people who go to these places because they (presumably) recognise how beautiful and special they are, but then just chuck their rubbish all over the place. If you like a place enough to visit it, why would you want to ruin it? It doesn’t make sense to me.

[@Scriptorsilentum]

makes me think the idea of Royal Parks should return: NOBODY save the King and his foresters allowed in. do that for 100 yrs and then open the parks so people can see...

[@-xirx-]

he's got enough of england's land to himself already. EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION. teach people, most importantly children, about our conservation/countryside/rainforests that instil a sense of pride, wonder and shared ownership. This involves giving people the chance to experience it for themselves, not just see it in photographs in books about the royal estates.

[@ITSC2252]

I don't see the same extent of rubbish as you describe in the south east of Western Australia where we go for hikes, but you'll never escape the signs of inconsiderate people fully. It's tiresome, but we have to do it.

[@MsCheesemonster13]

I was puzzled by the dog poo bags, but I have a theory about that. People going on a long walk don’t want to carry the bags on them because they stink, so they place them somewhere meaning to pick them up on the way back, but of course they inevitably forget. I carry a brightly coloured little bucket with a lid, when we go walking so I can dump my dog’s poo bags in it, and then dump the lot of them in the dog waste bin at the end of the walk. It probably makes me look a bit strange, but I don’t care as this works for me.

[@solarpunkalana]

Another great video Rob! Merlin's just as great at explaining Cabilla on camera as he is in real life. Ennia and Harrison are very on it with the need for community-first rewilding. It's so important!

[@scunge2667]

Its really cool to see temeprate rainforests being appreciated in the UK. I'm from New Zealand, which before colonisation by humans was nearly entirely temperate or subtropical rainforest. Here, temperate rainforest preservation is a big focus of conservation but you never really here it talked about anywhere else overseas. I'm glad these places are being more appreciated in the UK, it's up to people like you to bring them back :)

[@kristiangustafson4130]

I deer-stalk in an ancient forest. When I have encounters with the public, I try to take the opportunity to explain the importance of keeping numbers to a reasonable level to allow the forest to continue to be as beautiful as it is. The forest exists because of hunting (it is a large estate kept as an ancient hunting reserve, so was not cut down for ship-building oak) and can only continue to exist with hunting.

[@herokindon]

...or we could advocate for the reintroduction of apex predators

[@kristiangustafson4130]

@@herokindon in a country with 278.98 people per square kilometre? Let's not even talk about food production and animal husbandry. You're in a fantasy land.

[@tclarkson2000]

I love the rediscovery of Britain's rainforest history! It also blows my mind that in Australia we have the world's oldest at 180 million years! (The Daintree Rainforest). Magnificent both!

[@lewis1552]

I would love for you to do a visit to the Peak District! A landscape that is misunderstood by tourists and the intensive sheep farms and monoculture moorland have replaced ancient woodlands. I live in Froggatt woods and teach bushcraft as a way to give people a understanding of their place within the Nature The problem is that not enough people care about the woods

[@charliecare3682]

whats your company called id be very interested, thanks

[@lewis1552]

​@@charliecare3682it's called Into Wilderness Bushcraft

[@Peter.R.M.]

In Sussex the Knepp Estate use Blackthorn and Hawthorn as part of their rewilding to act as protection for young saplings, including Oak, to naturally repopulate the landscape. Could this method also be used to re-establish temperate rain forest? it would seem to be a better option than planting new trees and it would enable the native Oaks to recolonise and create new woodland. The Oaks would eventually crowd out the thorn as the canopy developed.

[@ferret5772]

That is correct the only difficulty is people, people are impatient and want instant effect whereas a natural succession requires time, the hawthorn and blackthorn react to browsing pressure by producing more thorns hence they become natural barbed wire.

[@imagseer]

@@ferret5772 Which is good when it happens that way, but large parts of Dartmoor, now grazing pressure has been reduced, get covered by bracken, gorse bushes and tough Molina grass. One has to ask which is the real natural Dartmoor? The present day landscape, the medieval landscape, the Bronze Age landscape, the post Ice-Age landscape, or the Ice Age Tundra?

[@ferret5772]

@@imagseer what you are seeing is how nature actually does it in its own way , if you take one acre and strip it back to bare soil and then walk away from it nature will take over and over approx a sixty year time span it will grow into a forest , one hundred and fifty years later it will be an oak canopy go to five hundred years it will be a mature oak forest albeit on a small patch of land , nature is slow but steady and functions on a timescale we cant appreciate being a relatively short lived species in comparison to oak trees.

[@gaz8891]

@@imagseer To answer your question, the real natural landscape is the early Bronze Age landscape, as that is the climax ecosystem and is what we would have now without human intervention.

[@davekershaw3695]

It’s so wonderful to see our younger generations getting involved in these rewilding projects. Great video! 🙏

[@marianacoelho8746]

This is so wonderful, Merlin is so insightful and speaks so reverently about the forest and the thousand year trust folks are doing such important work! I especially appreciated what they said about wanting to invite and incorporate indigenous knowledge and practices that have been supporting and sustaining thriving rainforests for thousands of years. Really great! So glad I watched this!

[@gaz8891]

To be honest, I didn't relate to that bit about inviting people from Africa to tell us how to do it. That doesn't make sense. If we make the effort to understand what natural woodland looks like and how it develops, then we can step back and allow nature to do it (not plant trees!). It happens naturally, if we only address the few man-made aspects that stop the natural processes like the grazing of the saplings. You cannot engineer wilderness. This isn't farming.

[@radicalprolapse9807]

@@gaz8891 Yes we need to keep learning, so then Ignoring indigenous knowledge from other rainforest regions would be wilfully ignorant and arrogant at best. Planting trees can absolutely make a difference and many Africans for example have made huge strides in various tree planting projects. And we have altered our natural landscapes so significantly that simply stepping back is not enough, as they discuss extensively in the video if we were to just step back then these environments would not return to their ancient states. You already concede we need to intervene with animals grazing.

[@susanfarley1332]

I visited a park in the US where everything was covered in moss and lichens. It was the most otherworldly place i have ever seen.

[@HammyCantFly]

This is a really excellent video! I enjoyed learning about the UK's temperate rainforests and how passionate people are trying to replant and maintain what's left of them. Maybe North America can take a similar approach to replanting the Carolinian forest.

[@Scriptorsilentum]

science thinks it's fairly close to breeding american butternut that are resistant to that japanese fungus that wiped them out. Here's hoping...

[@LaurenceWi]

I go to the Peak District quite a lot, we've been calling it the Derbyshire Temperate Rainforest for years because the mosses, lichens and trees are so lush

[@morgansmith1930]

Definitely! It's beautiful up there. We even found ferns growing in the trees (covered head to foot in moss) along the Derwent near Cromford, where it's sheltered by cliffs. I'll have to start calling it that - it's certainly an area that deserves more attention.

[@rabidfurify]

It's a shame people tend to think of this area as exposed hilltops and grazing land, because the forested areas are absolutely beautiful. And much more fun to hike through on a hot day, the temperature and humidity difference under the canopy is amazing!

[@philiptaylor7902]

Great video Rob. The good news is that if the conditions are right, regeneration can occur really quickly. The common where I live reverted from open heathland to woodland in little over 50 years when grazing stopped. I remember Guy Shrubsole covered some examples of this in his book, which everyone should read, by the way.

[@louislamonte334]

Thrilled to see the progress! There is a huge, long way to go but the restoration is beyond beautiful and encouraging!!

[@latheofheaven1017]

Great video. I'm a bit ignorant about trees, and didn't realise that beech trees are non-native, and don't support 10% of the wildlife that oaks do!

[@Theorimlig]

They are native to the UK, but possibly not to the area in the video. I doubt the claim about the much lower species count, too.

[@verycool6022]

⁠@@TheorimligIt’s unfortunate that many ecologists don’t keep up with the latest literature. In much of my country the Netherlands this actually prevents having sustainable forests in the future because most of our native species are dying or already disappeared because of climate change and new pests and diseases (oak, ash, poplar, elm, maple, beech) we almost will have nothing left except willows and non natives… Also to get to your point it is true that beech is native even to scotland according to the lastest literature. But many ecologists still claim they are non native since that is what they learned back in the day.

[@billyfullwood4974]

​@@verycool6022Beech (Fagus sylvatica) is believed to be non-native to Cornwall. I speak from much observation and experience (I live in Cornwall and work as a botanist)- woodland dominated by Beech is far less diverse than woodlands dominated by Oak.

[@morgansmith1930]

I believe I've read that beech woods support specialist, shade-tolerant plant species - fewer species than the oak, maybe, but often rare and valuable. (I'd also read that they're native to the southern UK, but from what everyone else is saying, it sounds like the literature's been shifting recently.)

[@ssgg23]

@@verycool6022yeah that native/non-native line is a little blurry because every plant was an invader at one point lol

[@yoho...]

your the best thing happening in the uk rn. Thanks for all your work!

[@LeaveCurious]

Ah well I don’t know about that, but thanks!

[@markosullivan6444]

Another fascinating, powerful video, Rob! I can definitely agree with the benefits of tree planting; getting local people involved and invested. I help look after a little ancient woodland in Cheshire and our tree planting events (planting in areas cleared of invasive sycamore saplings) are very popular and give people a chance to learn about their local biodiversity hotspot. It's definitely worthwhile, in conjunction with natural regeneration. Personally, I'm thrilled when I see new oak, rowan, and hazel seedlings pop up in Hob Hey Wood.

[@LeaveCurious]

yeah tree planting is more than just putting trees in the ground - anything we can do to bring people out together into environments is crucial

[@Scriptorsilentum]

is sycamore native to europe/UK?

[@markosullivan6444]

@@Scriptorsilentum It's native to parts of Europe but not the UK. It spreads readily and so can replace our native trees in an ancient woodland. Native trees are much better for wildlife which is why we're replacing any new grown sycamores.

[@gaz8891]

Your sycamore removal sounds great, and getting people out and active is so important, but I feel that nearly all tree planting is badly thought through and shouldn't be done. There is plenty for people to get on with, what with removing litter and invasive species, to create space for natural regeneration. This 'planting' drive is another reason why our nature is degrading, because we now have so many people planting trees and 'wildflowers' and destroying what is left of our precious ecosystems.

[@dawelch69]

Agree that native apex predators should be carefully reintroduced. Here in the USA, they’ve reintroduced wolves into Yellowstone National Park, and the woodlands have flourished.

[@MiraNecole]

the UK did have lynxes and wolves before but it's knowing whether or not they'll actually be capable of dealing with modern UK life, or whether or not people won't try to drive them to extinction again, especially wolves in particular, out of fear and misconception that still lingers among society to this day

[@TheHoveHeretic]

Throwing some great shapes there Rob.👍 It really needed pointing out we're in NO position to critisise other places for clearing native rain forests (or any other flavours of wooded lands). The last time we even had half an excuse was lining the trenches in WWI. Such a relief to see magnificent efforts to stem and reverse the dozens of centuries lunacy.

[@sirdudleynightshade8747]

We had a few small patches of very ancient-looking forest amongst the farmlands in Essex where I grew up - very damp-smelling and dark with lots of fallen-down tree trunks and little groundcover. From memory mostly oaks, beech, hornbeams etc close-growing.

[@nikkan3810]

The amount of moss is frankly stunning, amazing stuff.

[@GustavSvard]

Hearing about how there's overpopulation of large herbivores, including invasive ones, due to lack of predators, that makes me glad we have it so much easier for such up here in Sweden. Bears, wolfs, lynx, wolverines. yup, we got them already. But even with those we still have had the wild boar population grow from some that escaped (or "escaped") from a few specialist farms in like 1980 to a few hundred thousand wild ones these days. Which I guess will now help sustain those predators. There's even talk of introducing the Visent!

[@anniehill9909]

Oh, I so hope they are. Such wonderful, magical landscapes. More power to all those working to preserve and restore these - and please, can we start reintroducing lynx, so that we can get some help from Nature in dealing with the deer issue?!

[@alanbrooke3237]

I'm so glad I found this! I'm from Indiana in America, no rain forest here! But I've been to rainforest and jungles around the world, I love trees!! I've been to England and Scotland in the 70s, was shoched by the fact there were few trees! In my mind I thought I'd find an iconic " old english Oak", nope. Please please bring back your native trees!!

[@virtualcircuit]

Agreed we need to replant, and leave a better world for our ancestors.

[@gaz8891]

It depends where you go. I still see many huge old oak trees in some areas.

[@patsysadowski1546]

There is protected forest but the Scottish weather can make them look very different to the mighty oaks in other places. Some are huge. I grew up next to Epping Forest which was protected as the royal hunting grounds. There are many here. A lot was cut down in WW2 though. Here and in Ireland.

[@jujitsujew23]

I’m from the PNW in America and it’s interesting to see how different your rainforest looks to ours. Some day you should visit western Washington and see our rainforest. A walk through the Hoh rainforest will stay with you forever

[@LeaveCurious]

It’s a place I’d love to visit :)

[@huskytail]

All temperate rain forests seem to be very different from one another. I've been in one in Bulgaria, it's part of the Colchian rainforests arc and it's very different from the American and British ones. All of them amazing places ❤

[@kikiwylde]

We have temperate rainforests in parts of Australia as well. The ones I've visited look nothing like the British rainforest 💚

[@ssgg23]

I was just trying to look this up lol. Never been to either place so it’s hard to judge how different they would look in person. They both look very mossy lol.

[@SMoorcroft]

Love this video, thank you. I am so fortunate to live in Kintyre, and we are working hard at Kintyre Rainforest Alliance, to protect and regenerate our stunning rainforests. Add in Rhododendron ponticum to the list of serious threats to our rainforests, a massive issue here.

[@mr.lonewolf8199]

Those forest looks like they are straight from fantasy movies

[@RobertJones-ku4fg]

Merlin was an amazing guest so knowledgeable and a great communicator!

[@Chiller11]

Soon you can reintroduce elk, wolves, brown bear and lynx to make Britain an interesting place once again.

[@robertstorey7476]

I have found this subject absolutely absorbing since reading the book you refer to. We definitely should find some space to let the remaining bits of temperate rainforest expand quite a bit more. I think as knowledge of them is becoming more general there is going to be a real public appetite to visit and experience them so its not illogical.

[@abyssal_phoenix]

Wished i could see something like this across the north sea! The Netherlands really needs some more nature Would love to see more farmland being ready to slowly start to be converted back to peatmarch with birch forests and meadows. Best I'm doing now is trying to multiply some wild foraged endangered peatberries (family of red currants, it's a subspecies) They are okay to grow, when treated the same as blue berries :)

[@keestoft250]

I drove from Cornwall to Yorkshire last week and it was so obvious that there's hardly any tree cover in the UK. Can you imagine how impressive Bodmin Moor, Dartmoor, Exmoor, the Brecon Beacons, the Pennines, the North York Moors, the Dales and beyond would be with large expanses of native woodland?

[@a24-45]

In Australia, governments have realized in recent times that to re-establish an ecosystem (and the species that used to live in it, or are on brink of extinction), the first essential is FENCING. Use of Feral-species-proof fencing was pioneered here by wealthy conservationists who bought up land to create private sanctuaries for research into saving species; but now this practice is spreading among government authorities. The fencing is dense mesh, 7’ high from soil to top, solid and sufficient to keep out large and small animals. Yes, it’s expensive. But the results from installing this infrastructure have been so excellent that anti-feral fencing, once thought to be too costly, unattractive and unpopular with local owners and visitors, is now considered essential for success. You guys are doing a fantastic job. If you can also get assistance with sourcing wealthy donors to fund anti-feral fencing, you will see the forest in the fenced area just take off.

[@gaz8891]

Great comment!

[@cyberRowboat]

is it possible to increase hunting in order to keep deer population in check ..until we are able to reintroduce the keystone species?

[@WharnieWhittler]

Maybe we should start using them as a food source since they seem to be thriving so well?

[@gaz8891]

We can certainly consider hunting by man (this fits well in a farmed landscape, producing high quality wild food, such as what they are doing at Knepp very well) or else reintroducing the lynx would be a good idea.

[@ellieban]

A truly ancient woodland is “a hundred thousand fingers sticking up from a giant mushroom”. Yes!! We see the stem and the leaves because they’re above ground where we are, and we assume they’re the most important part of the tree, but they’re more like lungs and stomachs. The REALLY important stuff happens under the ground. Trees can live without trunks and leaves, and they can live like that for a long time if they’re plugged into the network. They can’t live without roots.

[@philcourteney4328]

I’m an ex tree surgeon and we toured some of the upland oak forest fragments on a college trip, they’re stunning! I also happen to have gone to school with Guy, never realised he’s become a ST Bestselling author!

[@Foxtrot-vg5fl]

I live in Lancashire and I think we have lost all our ancient woodland. 😢

[@gaz8891]

That's a shame ... but a great opportunity to plants groves of native trees and bring back the landscape, then ?!

[@seanjamescameron]

Lots of the fir trees are being removed at the head of the Rhondda around Treherbert and it’s nice to see the open spaces again.

[@eliforeal5261]

Always love your videos Rob, thanks for all you do for spreading awareness of rewilding! I'll do my part and share this video now!

[@jodipokorski4354]

I love the reforestation idea because here, in Missouri, forests are being bulldozed to make pastures. Then the gigantic piles are burning causing smoke to cover the land. It's sad to see.

[@ashimahmed2193]

Bring back the fantasy world of Europa!!! Sincerely, from south asia, Bangladesh.

[@Jo3M]

Awesome to see. Here in NZ the problem is remarkably similar. Deforestation is almost always the same, people create farmland and see no value in the native forests until they are nearly fully removed. A total lack of large predators here means we have large amounts of recreational and professional hunters employed to control browsers. Forests with unmanaged deer have a canopy with no undergrowth. I'm inspired to catch some of the local work here on camera to share like yourself, thank you

[@pippaseaspirit4415]

I’ve been a barefooter for over two decades now; I don’t wear footwear unless I absolutely have to. It only takes 6-12 weeks for most (undamaged) feet to acclimatise to going barefoot.

[@FXCartel]

My feet are messed up my little toe sits under my other one and causes blisters. Can't go barefoot cos I work with cars 😭 shoes are messed up

[@DavidCruickshank]

@@FXCartel If you need a steel toe wide toe box shoe they do exist, just rare. Examples include the birkenstock QS 700 which is a 'nonslip, oil and petrol resistant, steel toed boot' with a wide toe box. If you have money to burn, gaucho ninja makes very high quality barefoot boots that are fully ISO rated safety barefoot boots. It just depends how much money you have and are willing to spend on not have blisters anymore.

[@Sandsrodrick]

I studied forestry in the 1980s. Atlantic oak woods were a recognised habitat type then and long before. The new fangled temperate rainforest is the same thing. How we love a new label. If regeneration involves planting it’s sub optimal. By the way they’re mostly on the lower slopes not uplands.

[@steelwolf180]

Do a KZbinr collboration with "Fandabi Dozi" i think it will be a awesome collaboration in living with nature and rewilding,

[@LeaveCurious]

oh yes, love his videos, will have to get talking!

[@stephaniewilson3955]

It has been found that the best way to keep deer out of your land you need a double-fence with a couple of metres between the 2 fences. That confuses the deer who cannot actually get across both fences.

[@Davidpa79]

Very interesting and inspiring, thank you.

[@LeaveCurious]

pleased you enjoyed the video :)

[@matthew_joshua_knisley_jaguar]

Simple stake and rope fencing has been an inexpensive but effective way to deter white tailed deer from my woodland restoration areas in the Eastern Great Lakes bioregion.

[@Boofi-quat]

Britain is absolutely surreal for someone who’s only ever lived in a natural place, with natural forests and natural plains. Across the whole island, there is not a foot of ground that has not been modified for the use of man at some point; not a *single* square foot, and this started as soon as the ice caps melted. Staggering. Surreal.

[@todosmentira336]

Top of the cairngorms perhaps? That's pretty much arctic tundra.

[@Boofi-quat]

@@todosmentira336 potentially

[@Gambit771]

What rot. There are rainforest that haven't been touched nor modified. Do you have any evidence to back up your outrageous claim?

[@Boofi-quat]

@@Gambit771 Except *perhaps* in the far reaches of Scotland, yes. There is basically nothing that hasn’t been either clear cut or managed. There may indeed be very old unmanaged rainforests that still exist, but I strongly doubt they are older than the 1200s. Bear in mind that the peak arable land usage in the islands was in the Bronze Age, and if I had to guess I would think very little if any icecap-retreat virgin growth remained by that time. But wood is essential for metallurgy, so also bear in mind that managed forests were constantly being planted and replanted even as far back as that.

[@todosmentira336]

Yes but it’s not surprising for a small temperate island with a long history of migration and settlement on the edge of a relatively densely populated continent - what are you comparing it to ? The wildernesses of the Americas ? They are on a totally different scale.

[@kyleb6236]

I hope to see these beautiful rainforests one day. The forests that my ancestors once walked in!

[@GreenHorseYT]

What a beautiful place and a purpose.

[@LeaveCurious]

wonderful isn't it!

[@TheNezharMC]

Here in the northwestern coast of Spain had similar rainforests that were destroyed mostly by shortsighted plantations of australian eucalyptus for quick to grow wood and paper (19th century).

[@samsimms4403]

Best channel EVER!

[@LeaveCurious]

amazing first comment to see! thank you!

[@alanmcmillan6969]

It is essential to bring back this important part of our country, to regenerate and care for out temporate forests. and we can.

[@lolzasouruhm179]

Not to mention the lack of trees causes land slides and flash floods.

[@RayF6126]

Yes, and no flash floods in the US are more dangerous if there is trees but no understory to the forest. I just knocked down a lot of dead trees in my flood prone area to allow for wood sorrel, black berry, and Jerusalem artichokes to take root. Rain can overly loosen top soil and topple deep root systems with out an intermediate absorption layer.

[@ShaunHall-i7e]

Where I grew up the Denver Water Board wiped out the wetlands were I grew up in the mountains. They basically dredged the river and put rock in to make the river move faster. That happened nearly 50 years ago. The animals and plants that I knew about are gone. The lesson I learned is that we reap what we sow. Keep working hard to save what we still have!

[@troo_6656]

Biomes like these always make me think of Fangorn from lord of the rings. Wouldn't be exactly surprised if they were what inspired professor Tolkien in his description of these places.

[@fundlemander]

I've had my Magna Forests for about 2 years, and they're still one of my favourite shoes to have around. As a dyspraxic person, having that ankle mobility and ground feel is really important for when I'm climbing, and even just on my work commute. Makes me happy that one of my favourite shoe brands are sponsoring one of my favourite KZbin channels!

[@royfinch8644]

Wonderful to see what committed people are doing in England. Thank You. As a veggie I certainly wouldn't want to use the French leather boots though.

[@Gambit771]

So wear something made in a way that isn't environmentally friendly instead.

[@mcsenn]

Just came home to Denmark after I spent 5 days in the Lake Districts. Did hiks from Ambleside, out to Rydal, Dove Chag, Red screes to name some. Along our hike we were talking about the planting of trees in the dales. We saw all the white plastic pipes along every mountain. We saw how wet everything was. How the water was running under the peat and soil, forming springs or even waterfalls. How every stone or tree that could be covered, would be covered in moss. A family member mentioned how much it looked similar to a rainforest. A thousand thanks for your content! Great to watch 👌🏼

[@WildlifeWithCookie]

fantastic and seamless ad mate

[@paulvoas3328]

I live in Pacific Northwest USA near Olympic forest and coast range rain forests. When I moved to Oregon I was reminded of wales. Looks similar.

[@marcusmartinez7855]

This guy at the 9:00 minute mark - is super dialed into the story. Really listen to his story and interpretation. It reminds me of elements from the movie Avatar. His comment, ‘’we have to start thinking non-human and long-term. Humans think in 2, 5 and 10 years. Beyond 10 years it is irrelevant to us. Instead, we should think long term’’. VERY profound - good story, video and write-up.

[@deirdredear]

THANK YOU FOR INTERVIEWING PEOPLE WHO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!

[@christinecollins6389]

Fascinating video It’s sad but till I started watching these videos I am ashamed to say that Having spent most of my life working and caring for my family I didn’t realise that things I knew as a child have now gone Scotland is the most striking example As a child in the sixties it was very different. Everyone should support these efforts before it’s all gone

[@barrettemonique9070]

Great video. Mother nature will be proud of your efforts. Keep up the good work.

[@snaggy13]

Funny how he said people look at the forest and they think its healthy. As a Canadian, I saw the forest as, actually, sick. There is too much light at the forest floor, too little shrub level, you can see how there is too much grazing. There are too few young trees. I realize that this is a seasonal system, but still, thee are not a lot of young saplings. It should almost be hard to walk through, except for human or game trails.

[@Ghost-Mama]

Another wonderful video Rob!! The scenery was absolutely brilliant and the photography is amazing! I find your positivity absolutely breathtaking. Thank you! 💚

[@joblo341]

Cool! Best of luck. Have you considered installing fencing around small sections of regeneration. Fence an area you can afford and maintain. Once it grows big enough to survive browsing, fence another ... Have you considered encouraging "civic minded" groups, ie Scouts, Masons, Ladies clubs, Garden clubs etc to "adopt" a section of forest. Have them fund raise for fencing. Have them "weed" if necessary. The idea is that the group "owns" the forest rather than individuals so there is continuity as people move on. I saw a similar pitch by another group in the UK.

[@DeqzNW]

Bring back the Lynx!

[@anjou6497]

The trees are very beautiful, every part of England has special flora and fauna. Very special to visit. 🧡🍁🍂🌳🌿 (I love moss).

[@QuesoCookies]

It's so clear that overgrazing is the problem in these old forests because you have these massive trees and short grasses and nothing in between. Anything that might have filled the understory of the forest has been eaten before it could get any bigger while the trees are from a time when that understory was filled and they could survive long enough to grow tall. Who knows how much the health of the trees is affected by that lack of understory. Probably, a lack of brush prevents safe ground foraging for squirrels who would otherwise be the ones spreading the acorns around rather than having them all fall in one place and be competing with each other for sunlight.