Join us for #MembersHour on 4 September with Gethin Davies and Adam Thorogood MICFor.

Temperate Rainforests have received a huge amount of attention over the last few years but why is this? What makes them so special and should they be treated any differently to other woodland or forest types?

This #MembersHour will look at the definition of temperate rainforest globally and what this means in a UK context, describing where temperate rainforests occur in the British Isles and what makes them distinctive ecologically. The speakers will look at the threats to this internationally significant habitat and how these can be tackled through active management. They will also showcase a number of successful projects across England, Wales and Scotland where temperate rainforest recovery and restoration is currently taking place at scale.

Speakers

Gethin Davies - Senior Project Manager, Eryri National Park Authority

Hosted by the Eryri National Park Authority, Gethin is currently Senior Project Manager for Celtic Rainforest Wales LIFE Project, having been in post since November 2018. Funded through the ECs LIFE Nature and Biodiversity programme, the €9.6m project brings together a number of organisations who have a shared desire to improve the conservation status of temperate rainforests across four strategic areas of Wales. Before this, Gethin worked for a variety of conservation organisations in Wales including Natural Resources Wales, The Countryside Council for Wales, and Forestry Commission Wales. With a background in forestry (BSc Conservation and Forest Ecosystems, Bangor University, 2009), Gethin has since acquired experience in invasive non-native species, habitat restoration (particularly in relation to farmland, woodland and peatland habitats), protected species, as well as areas of engagement and cultural and natural heritage interests.

Adam Thorogood MICFor - Rainforest Programme Manager, Plantlife

Adam is Plantlife's Rainforest Programme Manager. He works across the rainforest landscape in Wales and England, coordinating projects which directly address threats to rainforest condition. A Chartered Forester with over 20 years experience of working at the intersection of forestry, woodland management and ecology, he understands the complex needs of temperate rainforest indicator species and the practical management operations needed to safeguard them. For many years Adam worked on ancient woodland restoration in North Wales with Coed Cadw, surveying temperate rainforests in Meirionnydd as part of the Celtic Rainforest Wales LIFE Project as well as managing conservation actions on planted ancient woodland sites. He holds an MSc in Forestry from Bangor University.