The Lost Rainforests of Britain - Guy Shrubsole

Guy Shrubsole’s The Lost Rainforests of Britain might be handily summed up as ‘city boy moves to the country and realises there is still nature in nature.’ But Shrubsole’s mapping and discovery of Britain’s remaining temperate rainforests is more than that. He never outright claims to have discovered the sites, there is something more humble and self-deprecating in his approach, which struck the right chord with me. Full of enthusiasm and excitement about the soggy plantlife that makes up our depleted rainforests, he uses a journalistic style to engage readers on what at first glance might not seem the most interesting topic. But peel back the ferns, and a lost, ancient wilderness awaits rediscovery.

Each chapter is preceded by an anecdotal foray onto sites ranging from Dartmoor in Devon, to the Lake District, to Western Scotland. He meets a number of experts in the field of mycology and bryology, along with environmental activists, green farmers, and ‘professional trespassers.’ Shrubsole laments the fact that only 8% of Britain is public access, with the rest selfishly owned and fenced off by suspicious offshore estates. His main beef with managed countryside is sheep, deer, and rhododendrons, which are largely responsible for the devastation of forests and the suppression of fresh tree growth. Guy throws in a lot of pop culture references, frequently quoting from Jurassic Park, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter etc. An eye opening experience that made me want to visit ancient rainforest.

3/5