FUTURE FOREST – SCOTLAND’S TEMPERATE RAINFORESTS

Future Forest – Scotland’s Temperate Rainforests.

A journey through Scotland’s Temperate Rainforests in 114 panoramas. A physical and interactive virtual exhibit.

Future Forest offers a glimpse of the now and a sketch of what may be our future imagining of Scotlands west coast a century from today.

Sourced over the last couple of years from Sutherland to Dumfriesshire with the much of imaging acquired summer 2023.

Scotland’s temperate rainforests, often referred to as Atlantic woodlands or Celtic rainforests, are a unique biome. These rainforests cover approximately 30,000 hectares, less than 2% of the total woodland coverage in Scotland. ‘Hyper oceanic zones’ – areas of high rainfall and relatively mild temperates year round are globally rare and occur only in a few other regions worldwide, including portions of South America, New Zealand, and Norway.

These rainforests are a biodiversity hotspot, particularly known for a rich variety of bryophytes, lichens, mosses, and liverworts—some species of which are found nowhere else in the world. The lush, damp conditions of these forests also provide a perfect habitat for a variety of fungi, insects, birds, and mammals, including iconic Scottish species like the red squirrel and pine marten.

As mentioned there are two elements in my process from acquisition and deployment as an interactive virtual tour and developing the print media from the folio.

Over the last decade I’ve moved away from commercial work (although I’m still happy to take it) to explore and exhibit. Distilling the key elements of ‘panorama’. Specifically and strictly the idea of composition within a seamless image that is 360° x 180° encompassing the entire environment around the camera lens. More reading on the reason and workflow is here: AVERAGE – Exploring Composition in Panorama.

Global Relevance of Scotland’s Temperate Rainforests

Despite their relatively small area, Scotland’s temperate rainforests play a crucial role in the global ecosystem. They are significant carbon sinks, absorbing and storing CO2 from the atmosphere, thus playing a vital part in mitigating climate change. They also contribute to global biodiversity, providing a unique habitat for a suite of species, many of which are endangered or endemic to these areas.

Threats to Scotland’s Rainforests

These unique ecosystems are under threat. Climate change, with its associated changes in temperature and rainfall patterns, has the potential to drastically affect these fragile ecosystems. Land use changes, particularly conversion to agriculture and commercial forestry, pose another major threat. Invasive non-native species, such as rhododendron, can outcompete native flora and disrupt the balance of these ecosystems. Deer population is also a major influence in destruction of any new growth not just in the rainforests but in all native forests across Scotland.

Towards a Greener Future

There is a growing recognition of the value and importance of these rainforests, and efforts are being made to protect and restore them. These include the creation of protected areas, removal of non-native species, and reforestation with native trees.

In Scotland, the Alliance For Scotland’s Rainforest some 20+ NGO’s and interested parties with responsibilities of land management and more is sadly, neither a business nor an organisation. More fragments of existing parties with existing responsibilities. Those existing parties however, do some great work but, I believe, the message is diluted across numerous ‘brands’ and ‘brand Scotland’ is missing a real opportunity to reimagine itself and move away from the deserted and denuded Highlands that have been its signature for the last century and longer.

I believe much more could be done, and public awareness and engagement are crucial to these conservation initiatives.

Scotland’s temperate rainforests are a testament to the incredible diversity of our planet’s ecosystems. They are a reminder that every corner of our world, even those unexpected, plays a vital role in the health of our planet. As we strive towards a sustainable future, it is crucial that these ‘hyper oceanic zones’ are protected in way that encourages their expansion. There is, in Scotland, no question that there is enough physical space. In fact from my experience (limited as it is) I’d say that suitable conditions for this type of forest is vastly underestimated.