Scotland's rainforests are a biodiversity treasure | Letter

Along the western seaboard of Scotland, the largest remaining fragments of temperate rainforest in Europe cling on. Dr Andrew Weatherall and Dr Paul Walton say the Scottish government needs to back up its restoration pledge with a clear financial commitmentIt was disappointing to read in the Guardian that "Britain has no rainforests to soak up carbon dioxide emissions" (The problem with blue carbon: can seagrass be replanted ... by hand?, 5 November). Britain emphatically does have rainforests.Along the western seaboard of Scotland, starting just north of Glasgow, the largest remaining fragments of temperate rainforest in Europe cling on. Under massive pressure from excessive grazing killing young trees, and rapidly spreading invasive non-native rhododendron, these fragments remain a precious carbon store and a globally important, incredibly beautiful, biodiversity treasure. Rainforest fragments also remain in the west of Wales and England. Continue reading...