Our new tree-growing nursery has opened at The Lake District Wildlife Park in Bassenthwaite, just below Skiddaw. It’s one of a network of tree nurseries across Cumbria where we're growing native trees for Skiddaw Forest, to help create a future temperate rainforest. 

Around 60 people attended the recent opening event in Bassenthwaite, including many who were keen to volunteer at the nursery. They were treated to a tour of the polytunnels and raised beds, before the unveiling of a new wooden sign for the tree nursery.

Isaac Johnston, Skiddaw Forest Project Officer at Cumbria Wildlife Trust said: “It’s great to formally open this new tree nursery, which we’ve been busy setting up over the past six months or so. Huge thanks to the Ecological Restoration Fund and other donors who have made this possible. Thank you to The Lake District Wildlife Park, for hosting our tree nursery on this amazing spot, just a stone’s throw from Skiddaw, and to Altrad, whose staff have helped to build the nursery’s raised beds.

“This tree nursery is a community resource and we’re looking forward to working with lots of volunteers who’ll be collecting native seeds in local woodlands, while others will be doing the crucial job of nurturing the saplings here in the nursery, so that they’re ready to plant out on Skiddaw in about a year’s time.”

Isaac explained why it’s so important to grow native trees for Skiddaw: “Planting seeds from local trees ensures the young saplings have the best chance at surviving on the exposed upland slopes, in the cool, wet Cumbrian climate. Lower down will be species people are familiar with (crab apple, oak, elm, cherry, hazel), while higher up we’re planting downy birch, juniper and a mixture of montane willows, which will grow best at the higher altitude. Skiddaw Forest is the highest nature reserve in England – so creating a temperate rainforest here will be a real challenge!”  

To help achieve this ambitious goal, we're setting up a network of tree nurseries across Cumbria to grow 600,000 trees, as part of our 100-year vision.

Bassenthwaite Nursery is funded by the Ecological Restoration Fund and by generous donors, and is supported by The Lake District Wildlife Park and Altrad. Community tree-growing nurseries for Skiddaw Forest have also opened at the Victoria Wood Nursery, Kendal and Cold Springs Nature Reserve, Penrith (both funded by the Victoria Wood Foundation), and at Gosling Sike, Houghton (funded by Ecological Restoration Fund). We're also working in partnership with Forests With Impact at HMP Haverigg.

Thanks to a long-term partnership with Aviva, Cumbria Wildlife Trust secured £5 million to kickstart the acquisition of the Skiddaw Forest Nature Reserve. Following a hugely successful fundraising appeal in which thousands of people helped raise £1.25m and with additional support from charitable funders, Cumbria Wildlife Trust was able to complete the purchase of England’s highest nature reserve. The development of Skiddaw Forest, a 100-year vision, will see 3,000 acres of habitat restored, including just over 1,000 acres of peat bog and the creation of 620 acres of temperate rainforest.

Temperate rainforests are wet, wonderful places full of life. The trees that grow there include sessile oak, birch, rowan, holly, alder, willow, and hazel. What really makes a temperate rainforest special is the rich tapestry of life that grows on and around the trees, such as mosses and lichens.

Temperate rainforests are also excellent stores of carbon, from their rich soils, to the trees and plants growing within them, which lock it up as they grow. With benefits for wildlife and carbon, it's imperative this special habitat is restored to help us tackle the nature and climate crises.

Find out more about becoming a seed-collecting volunteer for Skiddaw Forest.