A new £5.98m project aims to save Scotland's rainforest by helping remote communities thrive
PR & communications officer - Scotland
A £5.98 million award from The National Lottery Heritage Fund will help restore Scotland's globally rare rainforest while supporting some of the country's most fragile rural communities.
The five-year project, Our Rainforest Futures, will create a new generation of rainforest guardians across Scotland's west coast including via three ‘hubs’ – in Torridon, Morvern and Mid-Argyll. Through the project local people will gain skills, training and work opportunities while helping restore one of Britain's rarest habitats in areas already facing population decline and workforce shortages.
Our Rainforest Futures is an Alliance for Scotland's Rainforest project led by the Woodland Trust Scotland. Project partners are Argyll Countryside Trust, Community Woodlands Association, Plantlife, RSPB Scotland and SRUC. Our vision is a national movement of rainforest custodians equipped and enabled to save Scotland’s rainforest.
Scotland's rainforest is one of Britain's most biodiverse habitats. Only around 30,000 hectares (74,132 acres) remain. These rain-soaked woodlands support internationally important lichens, mosses and liverworts as well as a huge variety of other wildlife. But they are threatened by overgrazing, invasive species and habitat loss.
At the same time many of Scotland’s most isolated rainforest communities face ageing populations, skills shortages and the loss of young people seeking opportunities elsewhere.
Caroline Clark, Scotland director, The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: "Scotland's precious rainforest is internationally significant but largely unknown. A 2025 survey found fewer than one in three people even know it exists1. This major investment, using funds raised by National Lottery players, recognises that the future of our rainforest and the future of many west coast communities are closely linked. With the right support, both can thrive.”
Julie Stoneman, Saving Scotland’s Rainforest programme manager at Plantlife said: "The people who live and work in the rainforest zone are essential to securing its future. Our Rainforest Futures will offer accredited and informal training in skills such as deer management, ecological surveying and invasive species removal. It will create more than 20 jobs and 15 traineeships, support community-led projects with grants and advice, and provide exciting new opportunities for volunteering and learning.”
Calum Robertson was studying Wildlife and Conservation Management at SRUC when he joined an Our Rainforest Futures volunteer trip to Torridon in 2025.
"It was a heartwarming experience that left me inspired, helped me gain new skills and introduced me to people working in nature conservation. Soon after, I became employed by Argyll Countryside Trust as a Rainforest Squad Trainee, tasked with tackling invasive species in some of the most remote parts of Scotland’s rainforests. This has since developed into a split role as rainforest operative/woodland coordinator, involving both management and delivery of rainforest restoration projects. It is a dream-turned-reality to do this for a living, and I believe that volunteering with Our Rainforest Futures was key to making that happen."
As part of the project, SRUC will develop and deliver training to help people in rainforest communities gain the skills needed to restore and protect Scotland's rainforest, just as Calum has done.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund grant provides 72% of the funding needed for Our Rainforest Futures, which has a total budget of £8.3M. The project is also supported by NatureScot and players of the Postcode Lottery.
The people who live and work in Scotland's rainforest are essential to securing its future. Our Rainforest Futures aims to mobilise, train and equip people with the skills and knowledge to be guardians and advocates of Scotland’s precious temperate rainforest. The project will increase awareness of the rainforest, build capacity and expand the available workforce. It will seek opportunities for local people to gain wellbeing, economic and social benefits from the rainforest. It aims to leave both Scotland's rainforest habitat and its communities more resilient.
The project will operate across Scotland's west coast via three ‘hub’ areas where there are fragile communities, often with declining and ageing populations and a scarcity of employment and training opportunities to keep young people in the community.
Torridon – including Kinlochewe and Shieldaig, and involving people from the wider area including Lochcarron, Applecross and Gairloch.
Morvern – Lochaline and across the peninsula (with larger settlements in nearby Tobermory and Strontian).
Mid-Argyll – including Crinan, Tayvallich, Lochgilphead, Ardrishaig, Tarbert and surrounds.
The delivery phase of the project has been made possible with funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund thanks to National Lottery players.
For further information contact Hannah Dolby at The National Heritage Lottery Fund on 07511 216812 or Hannah.Dolby@heritagefund.org.uk.
Note to editors
1Survey reveals most Scots unaware Scotland has rainforest (August 2025).
About The National Lottery Heritage Fund
Using money raised by the National Lottery, The National Lottery Heritage Fund inspires, leads and resources the UK’s heritage to create positive and lasting change for people and communities, now and in the future.
Since The National Lottery began in 1994, National Lottery players have raised over £43 billion for projects, and more than 635,000 grants have been awarded across the UK.
About the Woodland Trust
The Woodland Trust is the largest woodland conservation charity in the UK with more than 500,000 supporters. With a vision of a world where woods and trees thrive for people and nature, today the Trust owns and cares for more than 1,000 woodland sites, covering around 33,000 hectares.
The Woodland Trust has three key aims:
protecting the UK's rare, unique and irreplaceable ancient woodland
restoring damaged ancient woodland, nurturing precious pieces of our natural heritage back to life
establishing new native trees and woods to create healthy, resilient landscapes for people and wildlife.
Access to all Woodland Trust woods is free so everyone can experience the physical and mental benefits of trees.
About the Alliance for Scotland’s Rainforest
The Alliance for Scotland’s Rainforest is a network of more than 40 organisations all working together to restore and protect Scotland’s rainforest.
About Argyll Countryside Trust
Founded in 2014, Argyll Countryside Trust (ACT) is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SC044733) and social enterprise working to care for and enhance Argyll's nature for the long-term benefit of everyone who lives, works and visits here. ACT brings together communities, businesses and agencies to help build a thriving and resilient future for our area's landscapes and the benefits they generate for people and nature.
ACT has four strategic goals:
caring for and enhancing Argyll's unique natural environment, including Scotland's rainforest
giving people opportunities to experience, learn in and be inspired by nature
encouraging investment in Argyll's natural capital to support the local economy
increasing opportunities for employment, skills development and volunteering.
ACT's work spans nature regeneration, climate action and awareness, and outdoor learning, health and wellbeing.
About Community Woodlands Association
The Community Woodlands Association (CWA) advocates for and provides services to community woodland groups across Scotland. They work closely with aspiring, new and established community woodland groups, from initial acquisition through to achieving long-term sustainability. CWA helps members to develop their woodlands for a wide range of economic, environmental and social benefits, and to promote these benefits to a wide audience. They network the community woodland movement through an annual conference, monthly bulletin, quarterly newsletter and learning exchange visits, as well as offering online and in-person training sessions providing in-depth support across a range of themes.
About Plantlife
Plantlife is the global charity working to enhance, protect, restore and celebrate the wild plants and fungi that are essential to all life on earth. With two in five plant species at risk of extinction, biodiversity loss is now the fastest it’s ever been and Plantlife’s work has never been more vital. Plantlife champions and accelerates conservation action, working at the heart of a global network of individuals and organisations to influence and inspire landowners and land managers, public and private bodies, governments and local communities. As time begins to run out, Plantlife’s position as the global voice for wild plants and fungi will help to bring lasting and positive change to our natural world – for everyone’s sake.
About RSPB Scotland
RSPB Scotland is part of the RSPB, the UK’s largest nature conservation charity, protecting habitats, saving species and helping to end the nature and climate emergency. For over a century they’ve acted for nature through practical conservation and powerful partnerships, campaigning and influence, and inspiring and empowering millions of people, including almost 1.2 million members. RSPB's network of over 200 nature reserves sits at the heart of our world leading science and conservation delivery.
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity. In England and Wales, no: 207076. In Scotland, no: SC037654.
About Scotland Rural College (SRUC)
SRUC is a specialist higher education institution delivering tertiary education, research and consultancy. Their principal purpose is to advance education, science, research, and environmental protection and improvement in rural and land-based industries, both domestically and internationally.
All of this activity is firmly rooted in SRUC's distinctive ethos of a Scotland-wide presence through regional centres of global excellence. Their objective is to deliver on shared goals with government, business and other partners to support transition to a fair and sustainable economy.
Strong partnerships with industry leaders and accrediting bodies ensure the work of SRUC's School of Natural and Social Sciences is aligned with professional standards and sector needs, translating innovation into practice and preparing graduates for impactful, nature focused careers.