The Hidden Beauty of the UK’s Rainforests

Temperate rainforests are lush, humid environments. The constant moisture creates the perfect conditions for a staggering array of ferns, lichens and fungi to thrive. They carpet the trees, meaning the forest floor extends upwards, turning branches into nature’s equivalent of a multi-storey car park.

These forests don’t just look magical – they sound it, too. The constant murmur of streams combines with birdsong from pied flycatchers, wood warblers and tree pipits to create an intricate, natural symphony.

A Vanishing Wonder

If you’re surprised to learn that the UK has rainforests, you’re not alone. Just a few months ago, I didn’t know either.

At one time, as much as 20% of the UK was covered in temperate rainforest. Today, as little as 0.07% remains. Most of these ancient woodlands have been replaced by conifer plantations – dense, silent monocultures that are intensively grown and felled on repeat. Even if the forester’s axe has somehow been evaded, new oak saplings often fall prey to grazing sheep or deer.

As a result, these forests are now among the rarest and most vulnerable in the world. They need our help.

Enter The Orchestral Forest

The Orchestral Forest is a unique, immersive concert that brings these endangered habitats to life within the concert hall. As you move freely among the orchestra, you’ll be enveloped in a vital story of beauty, patience, peril and hope. Alongside live classical music, you’ll hear the natural symphony of a temperate rainforest, the muted sounds of conifer plantations and the deafening silence left by deforestation. You’ll also experience the hope of regeneration, as young wildwoods show the astonishing transformation nature can achieve when left to heal.

Composers have taken inspiration from the beauty, mythology and timelessness of trees for generations: you’ll hear works by Mendelssohn and Nadia Boulanger, but others from the past include Wagner, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Dvořák, Liszt, Grieg, Florence Price, Tchaikovsky… the list goes on.

Modern perspectives have been added by composers like Dobrinka Tabakova, Vagn Holmboe and Michael Nyman (all featured in this project), as well as other exciting contemporary voices like Camille Pépin, Sofia Gubaidulina and James B. Wilson. Check out our Spotify playlist to explore these soundworlds ahead of the concert.

The Power of Forests

Forests have always captivated human imagination and creativity, but they also offer more than inspiration: spending time in forests has measurable health benefits. Studies show that “forest bathing” can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, ease depression, and even boost immune function.

In the context of the climate emergency, the restoration of native forests – especially temperate rainforests – takes on even greater importance. These ecosystems can lock away up to 40 times more carbon than plantations, making them essential in our fight against climate change. They represent a vision for the future, started now and resonating for centuries to come.

Explore Our Rainforests – In Person or Through Music

If you ever get the chance to visit one of the UK’s remaining rainforests, don’t miss it. These pockets of ancient woodland, scattered along the west coast from Cornwall to the Scottish Highlands, are like nowhere else I’ve been to. The Woodland Trust is a great resource for planning a visit, and for those eager to learn more, Guy Shrubsole’s The Lost Rainforests of Britain is an excellent read.

But for an unforgettable experience closer to London, join us at Smith Square Hall on 24 October. Come wander through The Orchestral Forest and let the music and the story of the UK’s rainforests surround you.

Matt Belcher is Creative Director of The Orchestral Forest and Sinfonia Smith Square’s trailblazing #ConcertLab series