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Today's column: bringing back our rich habitats is no longer just a nice thing to do. As they draw down carbon, it could be essential for our survival: theguardian.com/commentisfree/…
Some people are expressing doubt that there could have been rainforests in Britain. But there were, and still are, albeit just tiny remaining fragments: exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/enjoying/event…
And they are astounding. Walking through Horner Woods, or the Llyfnant Gorge, or some of the tiny corners of remaining rainforest in western Scotland is like passing through a portal to a once and future world.
Here are some amazing rainforest fragments in Scotland. A world of wonders you don't have to travel halfway round the world to see: woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2019/05/s…
Great chart here, via @markwilderness, from kundoc.com/pdf-oceanic-an… …, showing where we should expect rainforests to grow in Britain. Let's bring them back! #rewilding 
Conservation bodies use cutting, burning and grazing to prevent the land from reverting to rainforest or woodland. Why? Because their "priority habitats", such as heather moorland, are the result of repeated cutting, burning and grazing. So the madness goes round and round ...
Imagine what Brazilian conservationists would say if we suggested continuously cutting and burning the land to prevent rainforest from returning. Heather moorland is typical of the highly depleted habitats that form after repeated deforestation. Our priorities are surely wrong.
When will we see the @WildlifeTrusts, @Natures_Voice, @nationaltrust and @N_T_S stepping up to promote a massive rainforest restoration project in the regions where it once grew, and could grow again?
When will we see British conservationists recognising the difference between protection and destruction?
Burning the land in the name of conserving wildlife is like burning libraries in the name of conserving books.
Burning the land in the name of conserving wildlife is like burning libraries in the name of conserving books.
If you must relentlessly beat nature up to get the conservation results you want, perhaps you should start to question your objectives.
