Nearly 3 in 4 don’t know the UK is home to temperate rainforests

Renowned nature wildlife campaigner Hamza Yassin has joined forces with Aviva and The Wildlife Trusts to help educate children about Britain's native temperate rainforests, after new research* revealed nearly three in four (73%^[1]) people don’t know these rare habitats exist across the UK. 

As the UK emerges from its hottest ever summer^[2] with more than 1,000 wildfires recorded across England and Wales by mid-August^[3], protecting and restoring these natural habitats has never been more important. The research suggests many people don’t know the role temperate rainforests play to help landscapes adapt to more extreme weather events. In fact, two thirds (66%^[4]) of those surveyed didn’t know that temperate rainforests help to reduce the risk of flooding by slowing the flow of heavy rainfall. 

Once covering as much as 20% of Britain, temperate rainforests now account for less than 1% of land cover^[5] and are among the UK's rarest habitats. Found in only a handful of places across the UK - and in a small number of countries worldwide, including Japan, New Zealand, Chile and Canada - they provide a home for wildlife including pine martens and red squirrels. 

To help raise awareness of these crucial natural habitats, Aviva and The Wildlife Trusts have partnered with Hamza to find the UK’s next young rising star of nature photography in a bid to educate the next generation about the rainforest’s vital role supporting wildlife, restoring nature and building climate resilience.  

The Rainforest Explorers Photography Competition invites children to visit one of the UK’s temperate rainforests with family, friends or their school, take a photograph, choose their favourite image and ask a parent or guardian to submit it on their behalf. 

Entries will be judged across two age groups (4-7 and 8-11 years) and two competition categories: 

• Rainforest Explorers: photographs taken in a UK temperate rainforest. 
• Urban Jungle: photographs capturing nature and wildlife closer to home, whether in a garden, park, woodland, pond or other local green space, making the competition accessible to children who are unable to visit a UK temperate rainforest. 

Winners will take part in a special wildlife photography masterclass in a UK temperate rainforest with acclaimed young wildlife photographer Jamie Smart. Jamie will share her top tips for photographing wildlife and help winners develop their skills in capturing the natural world. The competition follows Aviva’s £38 million donation to The Wildlife Trusts in 2023 to help restore the UK’s lost temperate rainforests. 

Hamza Yassin, said: “Most people are amazed to discover that we have rainforests right here in the UK. These hidden, magical places and bursting with wildlife and play an important role in tackling climate change, so I’m passionate about helping more people discover them. It’s why I’m so excited to team up with Aviva, supported by The Wildlife Trusts, to launch the Rainforest Explorers Photography Competition. I’m inviting young nature lovers to grab a camera, head outdoors and show us the natural world through their eyes. Whether they explore a rainforest or local green space, I can’t wait to see what they discover. Nature is full of surprises, and you never know what might be hiding just around the corner!” 

Claudine Blamey, Aviva’s Chief Sustainability Officer, said: “Protecting and restoring nature to help our customers and communities get ready for a changing climate is hugely important to Aviva. This campaign forms part of our partnership with the Wildlife Trusts to help restore the UK’s lost temperate rainforests, which are so critical to how we build resilience to the impacts of climate change. Hamza Yassin is the perfect ambassador to front our competition and help educate the next generation about the importance of these magical woodlands.” 

For full details and how to enter, visit: www.aviva.com/rainforest-explorers 

Further research points:

• _{Just one in four parents surveyed (24%) said that their children have learnt about the UK’s temperate rainforests in school.}  
• _{Most people surveyed (61%^[6]) were unable to identify the correct definition of a temperate rainforest, while the majority could not name where in the UK these environments can be found. The Highlands and Argyll are the most well-known, at 24%, followed by The Brecon Beacons (Bannau Brycheiniog, 23%), Dartmoor (20%) and Ceredigion (17%).}  
• _{Nearly three in five (59%^[7]) of people don’t realise the UK’s temperate rainforests are important for absorbing and storing carbon, highlighting a widespread lack of understanding of the important role they play in helping to address climate change.}  
• _{Just over a third (34%) knew temperate rainforests can support ecosystem resilience in landscapes vulnerable to wildfires.} 
• _{Their importance during winter is also widely underappreciated, with just under two thirds (65%^[8]) unaware that temperate rainforests can help reduce the risk of landslides following periods of heavy rain.} 

Methodology: 

_{*The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 4,000 Nationally representative general consumers (aged 18-75). The data was collected between 18.08.2026 - 25.08.2026. Censuswide is a member of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the British Polling Council (BPC), and a signatory of the Global Data Quality Pledge. We adhere to the MRS Code of Conduct and ESOMAR principles.}

References:

^1. _{‘No’ and ‘Not sure’ responses combined [↑]}

^2. _{Summer 2026 was UK's hottest on record, Met Office says - BBC Weather [↑]}

^3. _{Wildfire Update: Continued Vigilance Needed - NFCC [↑]}

^4. _{Inverse of those who selected “They slow the flow of rainwater, helping to reduce flooding” [↑]}

^5. _{Temperate rainforest strategy - GOV.UK [↑]}

^6. _{Inverse of those who selected “A forest in a mild, wet climate with high rainfall and rich biodiversity.” [↑]}

^7. _{Inverse of those who selected “They absorb and store carbon from the atmosphere” [↑]}

^8. _{Inverse of those who selected “They help stabilise soils, reducing erosion and landslides after heavy rain” [↑]}

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