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conservation: Rare Lichen Discoveries Confirm Naddle Forest’s Temperate Rainforest Status
20 June 2025
By James Hamilton
By James Hamilton
Naddle Forest in Cumbria
Two exceptionally rare lichen species, previously unrecorded in northern England, have been discovered in Naddle Forest, a remnant of the UK’s vanishing temperate rainforests.
The lichens, Dendrographa latebrarum and Lecanographa abscondita, were found on rocks by volunteers from the Cumbria Lichen and Bryophyte Group. The discovery was made during monitoring work for a tree lichen translocation project near Haweswater.
“These lichens, found on a sheltered rock face in old humid woodland, are obscure and easily overlooked – part of a mosaic of habitats within old woodland,” said Chris Cant of the Cumbria Lichen and Bryophyte Group. “It’s very exciting to find these species in Naddle. It’s a reminder that these places are still full of secrets waiting to be found. But the woods need to be cared for and allowed to regenerate and expand.”
Lichens are a defining feature of temperate rainforests, and their presence - particularly species as rare as these - signals a healthy, undisturbed ecosystem. As fungi that partner with algae, lichens paint woodland boulders and tree trunks in a tapestry of colour and texture, and are especially significant in the moist, clean-air environments of Cumbria’s rainforests.
Naddle Forest, owned by United Utilities and managed by the RSPB team at Wild Haweswater, is one of the last remaining fragments of Atlantic woodland, globally one of the rarest temperate rainforest types. Once covering up to 20% of the UK, less than 1% remains today due to centuries of deforestation, pollution, and land-use changes.
The lichen find feeds into the wider biodiversity research efforts under the #SpeciesSurvivalFund Rainforest Restoration Project, led by the Woodland Trust in partnership with Plantlife, Cumbria Woodlands, Cumbria Connect, and the Cumbria Wildlife Trust. The initiative is funded through Defra’s Species Survival Fund and delivered by The National Lottery Heritage Fund in collaboration with Natural England and the Environment Agency.
“This targeted funding for temperate rainforest conservation is a vital catalyst for restoration of our core rainforests in Cumbria,” said Adam Thorogood, Rainforest Programme Manager at Plantlife.
As part of the project, Naddle Forest is receiving extensive restoration support to increase its resilience and ensure long-term protection. Cumbria Connect is implementing a high-density planting method using 9,000 native trees, such as Juniper, Sessile Oak, and Rowan - grown from locally collected seeds at the Wild Haweswater nursery. The trees are being planted in 300 protective cages to help them survive grazing and browsing pressure.
“This discovery, although tiny in scale, is massive in importance,” said Bill Kenmir, Conservation Manager at Cumbria Connect. “Finding these lichens here shows that Naddle is functioning as true temperate rainforest, with the clean air, constant humidity and high-quality, ancient woodland habitat needed to sustain them. It highlights how crucial it is we ensure its long-term protection.”
The discovery will be showcased during a public event at Rheged near Penrith on June 22 to mark World Rainforest Day. Visitors can explore the ecological significance of temperate rainforests and join guided walks through Cumbria’s rainforest zone. The event will also feature Saturama, an immersive audio-visual journey into the heart of the UK’s remaining rainforests.
The lichens, Dendrographa latebrarum and Lecanographa abscondita, were found on rocks by volunteers from the Cumbria Lichen and Bryophyte Group. The discovery was made during monitoring work for a tree lichen translocation project near Haweswater.
“These lichens, found on a sheltered rock face in old humid woodland, are obscure and easily overlooked – part of a mosaic of habitats within old woodland,” said Chris Cant of the Cumbria Lichen and Bryophyte Group. “It’s very exciting to find these species in Naddle. It’s a reminder that these places are still full of secrets waiting to be found. But the woods need to be cared for and allowed to regenerate and expand.”
Lichens are a defining feature of temperate rainforests, and their presence - particularly species as rare as these - signals a healthy, undisturbed ecosystem. As fungi that partner with algae, lichens paint woodland boulders and tree trunks in a tapestry of colour and texture, and are especially significant in the moist, clean-air environments of Cumbria’s rainforests.
Naddle Forest, owned by United Utilities and managed by the RSPB team at Wild Haweswater, is one of the last remaining fragments of Atlantic woodland, globally one of the rarest temperate rainforest types. Once covering up to 20% of the UK, less than 1% remains today due to centuries of deforestation, pollution, and land-use changes.
The lichen find feeds into the wider biodiversity research efforts under the #SpeciesSurvivalFund Rainforest Restoration Project, led by the Woodland Trust in partnership with Plantlife, Cumbria Woodlands, Cumbria Connect, and the Cumbria Wildlife Trust. The initiative is funded through Defra’s Species Survival Fund and delivered by The National Lottery Heritage Fund in collaboration with Natural England and the Environment Agency.
“This targeted funding for temperate rainforest conservation is a vital catalyst for restoration of our core rainforests in Cumbria,” said Adam Thorogood, Rainforest Programme Manager at Plantlife.
As part of the project, Naddle Forest is receiving extensive restoration support to increase its resilience and ensure long-term protection. Cumbria Connect is implementing a high-density planting method using 9,000 native trees, such as Juniper, Sessile Oak, and Rowan - grown from locally collected seeds at the Wild Haweswater nursery. The trees are being planted in 300 protective cages to help them survive grazing and browsing pressure.
“This discovery, although tiny in scale, is massive in importance,” said Bill Kenmir, Conservation Manager at Cumbria Connect. “Finding these lichens here shows that Naddle is functioning as true temperate rainforest, with the clean air, constant humidity and high-quality, ancient woodland habitat needed to sustain them. It highlights how crucial it is we ensure its long-term protection.”
The discovery will be showcased during a public event at Rheged near Penrith on June 22 to mark World Rainforest Day. Visitors can explore the ecological significance of temperate rainforests and join guided walks through Cumbria’s rainforest zone. The event will also feature Saturama, an immersive audio-visual journey into the heart of the UK’s remaining rainforests.
Lecanographa abscondita. Credit: Cumbria Connect
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