Unveiling the Secrets of Scotland’s Celtic Rainforest Part One

Hello and welcome to this week's Wildlife Matters podcast.

And today I'm sharing the first part of the wildest adventure I've ever had, a week long trek through the temperate rainforests on Scotland's northwest coast.

It's an epic journey and one that I think you will really enjoy.

But before we head into those ancient rainforests, let's take a look at some wildlife and nature still stories that have captured our attention in this week's Wildlife Matters Nature News.

Hello and welcome to this week's Wildlife Matters Nature News, where we share some of the wildlife and nature stories that have caught our attention at this this week.

First up, Phil Limbry, chief executive of Compassion in World Farming dismantles a dangerous myth that wild birds are to blame for avian flu outbreaks Wild birds are often blamed for avian influenza outbreaks, as if they alone created the spread of virus to farms.

It begins with silence, and then comes the cull.

Beneath the beautiful rolling hills of West Linton in the Scottish Borders, a tragedy is unfolding.

Recently, tens of thousands of birds died there as highly pathogenic avian influenza H5M1 spread across the country.

Glenrath Farms, one of Scotland's largest egg producers, has faced several outbreaks, leading to strict movement controls and empty sheds.

This winter bird flu season in the UK is expected to be one of the worst ever since October.

Over 90 cases have been reported nationwide.

Bird flu outbreaks have also occurred on farms across Europe, with turkeys particularly affected.

Last year, nearly 700 outbreaks were reported on European poultry farms, with Germany, Poland, Hungary, France and Italy being hit hardest during the autumn migration.

Wild birds across Europe faced an unusually high level of infection.

But there is a deeper truth behind these headlines, one that is often misunderstood in public discussions.

Wild birds are victims, they're not villains.

Wild birds are routinely cast as villains, accused of creating and spreading the virus to farms.

The truth, however, tells a very different story.

Highly pathogenic strains like this one would probably emerge and spread more readily in crowded industrial poultry farms than in wild flocks.

In these conditions, viruses spread quickly and mutate, becoming more dangerous as they compete to survive.

And as the virus becomes more widespread in crowded farm sheds, it can escape into the environment and infect wild waterfowl, gun gulls, raptors and seabirds.

Already weakened by habitat loss, climate change and dwindling food sources, these birds become unwitting carriers of a virus they never created and one that will kill many of them.

They are victims of a system that can send the virus back into poultry farms, including Free Range Farms like Glenrass, creating a tragic and destructive cycle.

This distinction matters.

Scapegoating wild birds diverts attention from the real culprit, intensive farming systems that breed the deadly viral strains now ricocheting between commercial operations and the natural world.

This year's H5N1 strain is considered highly infectious, and farmers have been warned to prepare for the worst.

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, they have already put in place compulsory housing orders requiring flocks of more than 50 birds birds to stay indoors.

Scotland has not done this yet, but officials say that that could change if cases increase.

While housing orders offer temporary protection when infected wild birds are nearby, they fail to address the root cause, which is why the virus became so deadly in the first place.

They also don't fix the problems caused by keeping too many genetically similar animals in small spaces, which which makes it easier for viruses to spread.

During a housing order in the uk, eggs produced by hens kept free range can legally remain labeled as free range.

This helpful rule change was introduced recently to support farmers and prevent sudden, serious market problems that have become common each season.

But it also shows how fragile the balance is between maintaining steady supply and public opinion.

Consumers value free range eggs, farmers want to offer them, and hens benefit from living in better conditions when they can roam more freely.

Yet a virus amplified by intensive farming can force even the most ethical free range operations to lock their birds inside.

It's a stark reminder that ethics, animal welfare and system resilience are inextricably linked and vulnerable to the same industrial pressures.

When H5N1 spreads to wild birds, the results can be devastating.

In recent years, people have seen heartbreaking scenes like dead gannets on the shore and eagles and skuas dying from the infection.

These losses are not proof that wild birds are spreading the disease, though.

Instead, they warn us that industrial farming has made the virus more dangerous.

The virus is exposing deep fractures in both our food systems and our ecosystems, and we ignore its message at our peril.

Recent protection zones show that H5M1 spreads through systems, not just through scapegoats.

Most of the poultry industry already keeps birds indoors, with many genetically similar birds crowded into large sheds.

The real solutions exist.

Vaccinating flocks to break transmission chains, restructuring the industry towards smaller operations with lower stocking densities, cultivating hardier breeds and reducing constant titrated farm clusters.

These practical steps can help reduce the conditions that let dangerous strains develop and spread.

Bird flu is not just a seasonal problem.

It is a sign of how our farming methods and treatment of nature are deeply connected and the wild birds are not at fault.

They are the sad evidence of what happens when a virus strengthened by intensive flood farming spreads into the wild and then returns to harm the farms that help to create it.

If we truly want to protect our birds, our farmers and yes, even our breakfast, we must stop pointing fingers at migrating geese and start examining our own agricultural practices.

The avian influencer virus is evolving and we need to evolve faster.

Our second story this week features Emma Slowinski, chief executive of the League Against Crawlsports, who released video footage reportedly showing a pack of hounds running through the Mo Thorpe Garden of Rest in the Hawardian Hills area of outstanding natural beauty in North Yorkshire.

The video shows the hounds moving among the graves before heading into a nearby woods.

Emma told Wildlife Matters that the dogs were part of a hunting group in the area on Wednesday, 21 January.

She believes the group either set a trail through the burial ground or the dogs were chasing a wild animal.

The British Hound Sports association has been asked for a comment but has yet to respond.

Emma said it beggars belief that the hunt would deliberately lay a trail through a burial site.

So either they have no regard whatsoever for the sanctity of this place or, as is far more likely, the hounds were chasing a live fox, they have desecrated this burial site in a bid to carry on with a blood sport that was banned 20 years ago.

Trail hunting, in which an animal based scent is laid for dogs to follow, did not exist when the Hunting act was enacted.

The use of a large pack of hounds can put wild mammals, household pets and even members of the public at risk.

In addition, the use of animal based scents increases the risk of picking up wild animal scents, as does the practice of lifting and dropping the trail, which means hounds must actively search.

There is also a real risk that trail hunting could be used to facilitate illegal hunting by being used as a smoke screen to obscure intention and enabling the inevitable chasing of wild animals.

When asked for a comment, the government said, we have already committed in our manifesto to put an end to trail hunting.

The Countryside alliance said a full ban on trail hunting threatens the future of hunts, hounds and the rural way of life.

Emma asked us to remind listeners of the Wildlife Matters podcast of the importance in taking part in in the government's consultation.

She said, I urge everyone who's sick and tired of fox hunt behavior to take part in the government's hunting consultation.

The time for change is now.

We want trail hunting banned, legal loopholes closed and an end to so called accidental hunting and jail sentences introduced as.

A real deterrent for those who break.

New, stronger fox hunting laws.

Our third story has a hint of romance.

As Valentine's Day approaches, we bring you a heartwarming story.

Every spring, thousands of love struck toads embark on a perilous pilgrimage to their ancestral breeding ponds, and one UK town is rolling out the red carpet to ensure that as many as possible arrive safely.

From 1 February to 30 April, Smallbrook Road in Warminster in Wiltshire transforms into an amphibian superhighway.

Each night from 5pm until 5am the following morning, the section between Gipsy Lane and Upper Marsh Road is closed through traffic, allowing migrating toads to reach their breeding grounds safely.

The local residents can still get to their homes, but everyone else is asked to take a date different route the.

Initiative is already proving its worth.

Last year's closure, backed by Warminster town councillors through a traffic regulation order, significantly boosted amphibian survival rates, according to the dedicated volunteers of the Warminster Toad Patrol.

But this isn't just about protecting toads, it's about safeguarding the volunteers who patrol the roads each night, guiding these detectives determined creatures to their destination.

A spokesperson for the Warminster Toad Patrol told Wildlife, we are lucky enough in Warminster to have some amazing ancestral breeding.

Ponds, but to reach these ponds, the.

Toads must cross roads, including Smallbrook Road, which runs through the nature reserve.

A traffic regulation order is in effect from February to the end of April, limiting access from 5pm to 5am People can still reach properties in the area, but through traffic is not allowed.

With your help, simply by taking a different route, you'll give these amazing creatures a fighting chance not just to survive, but to thrive.

That's a nice way to end this week's Wildlife Matters Nature.

We don't usually share articles from other.

People, but Phil Limbry's piece on avian.

Influenza, a topic we've discussed regularly on the Wildlife Matters podcast, aligns so well with our views that I wanted to share it with you.

It clearly showed that wild birds aren't to blame and points to the intensive farming as the real cause.

Next, we looked at another example of.

Hunters showing no regard for others, this.

Time a fox hunt running through a cemetery.

This is exactly why we think they need to be limited by law.

They've shown that they can't regulate themselves or respect animals, people or even burial grounds.

And on a brighter note, I enjoyed talking to the Warminster Toad Patrol.

With Valentine's Day coming up, their story about helping migrating toads just felt right.

It's great to see Warminster councillors supporting the local toads on their yearly journey to the breeding ponds.

For weeks, rain has swept across the uk, a relentless cycle of weather, painting the days in an endless shades of green gray.

This is the sort of weather that slips beneath your skin and quietly dims your inner glow.

On this week's Wildlife Matters mindful moments, we dare to defy the gloom, reminding us that nature still calls every day, no matter what the weather is doing.

And on one such gray day, we were in a special place where a black bird had chosen to sing, not merely enduring the weather, but boldly confronting.

It with his song.

The rain tapped out a steady rhythm.

Clouds hung heavy and close.

Yet still this bird sang from first light to nightfall, his tune steady, his spirit undaunted.

He shows us something that we often overlook.

Happiness is not a gift for perfect days, but something we forge despite the storm.

And sometimes, when we step bravely into the grey, we find the very light that we have been longing for.

So I hope you enjoy this courageous.

Blackbird on this week's Wildlife Matters mindful moments.

It's it.

I hope the blackbird song offered you a gentle lift, a reminder that even.

In the depths of mid winter, when.

The world feels dormant and gray, wildlife pulses with an extraordinary energy.

It's an energy that lives in all of us too, waiting to be awakened.

Sometimes all it takes is one determined blackbird to show us the way.

Now we leave behind grey skies for something altogether different.

This week's Wildlife Matters main feature takes us deep into the enchanting temperate rainforests of the northwest of Scotland.

Ancient moss draped woodlands where every branch drips with life and mystery.

This is the first of a two part journey and I can tell you without hesitation, it stands amongst the wildest and most thrilling adventures I've ever had.

And brought to you on the Wildlife Matters podcast.

These forests that time forgot, where red deer roam through cathedral, cathedral like groves and every footstep feels like a privilege.

So I'm thrilled to bring you along.

As we Adventure into this rare, magical corner of Britain where the air itself seems alive.

This is the start of a very special and pretty unique adventure.

It's October and we're in Argyll on Scotland's wild west coast.

Here, ancient castles, shimmering lochs and the restless sea invite exploration at every turn.

We've reached Loch Ilped, a small but lively hub that serves as the heart of the region for its around 2,300 residents.

From here, our adventure sets out to uncover a globally rare and threatened habitat, as well as a remarkable species that returned to this landscape just 15 years ago.

Scotland's Atlantic woodland, often called Celtic Rainforest, is a truly unique place.

The ancient native woodland is rich in biodiversity and stores significant amounts of carbon, making it important worldwide.

You'll only find Scotland's temperate rainforest on the west coast, where lots of rain and mild temperatures keep the woodlands humid all year, thanks to clean air and low nitrogen pollution.

These conditions create a safe haven for some of the world's rarest bryophytes and lichens.

Some of the species are globally important, while others are found only in Scotland.

The rainforest mix of tree species and ages helps support its rich biodiversity.

Ancient and veteran trees, along with a variety of habitats like meadows, ravines and river gorges, all play important roles.

The types of woodland that form the rainforest are listed as essential habitats in the Biodiversity Strategy list.

Scotland is home to some of Europe's best and most important rainforest remnants, and we're committed to protecting this unique and vital ecosystem.

The Celtic rainforest is a new name for the lush temperate woodlands founded along the far western edge of Europe.

These forests were once called Atlantic oak woods and Atlantic hazelwoods, and each was valued for its unique qualities.

Ash and elm woodlands, now scattered as patchwork wood pastures, are also part of this temperate rainforest in the Western Highlands.

These rare trees grow on steep glen slopes and along the quiet edges of sea lochs.

Thanks to mild temperatures, steady humidity and plenty of rain, these woods are a haven for Atlantic bryophytes.

Rare mosses, liverworts and lichens grow here in impressive variety.

And wildlife is abundant across the west of Scotland, with red and road deer wandering freely.

Badgers, pine martins are often seen.

And if you're lucky, you might even spot a critically endangered Scottish wildcat quietly moving through the shadows.

Redstarts, pied flycatchers and wood warblers move through the trees.

And the rare pearl bordered fritillary butterfly still flies across this landscape.

With so much to discover and not enough time to see everything, I sit down at the smiddy a cozy local cafe and plan my adventure over an oat latte.

THE Napdale Forest at dawn, we head to the Napdale Forest, a place of old rainforest where oak, hazel and birch trees stand.

All the variety of the lichens, mosses and liverworts here is amazing.

Each one plays an important role in why this rainforest matters to the world.

I'm not an expert, but I am drawn by their interesting names.

Slender mousetail moss tree lungwort, glue fungus and Wilson's filmy fern.

I hear that all of these can be found right here in Knapdale.

We start our walk at the Barnlushkin Lock car park, which has a pay and display parking and a wooden hut filled with information leaflets.

To our left, the lock shines with clear water and beautiful views.

I see it as a haven for birds from hooper swans to grey herons.

Soon the path climbs steeply as we go up the knap.

The name is derived from the Celtic word knapp, meaning steep, wooded hillside.

Hazel trees covered in leafy lichens line our way, showing how clean and pure the air is here.

At the top, bracken spreads out in the open, and as I walk down, I see a grove of old sessile oaks ahead.

Looking into the branches of the nearest oak to the path, I spot a lichen on the limbs.

Maybe it's even a rare tree lungwort I hope to find lungworts belong to the foliosae lichen family, and after rainfall, their surfaces glow with a striking vibrant green.

Tree lungwort, or Loberia pulmonaria, is made up of fungus and two kinds of algae, one's green and one's blue.

Green lichens growing on longwort are signs that a woodland is ancient.

If you spot these lichens while walking in the woods, it means you have found a rare and very special place.

Lichens play an important role in woodlands as they create small habitats for tiny invertebrates, which then help support the bigger insects and bird populations.

Lichens also provide homes for parasitic fungi and support the ecosystems in many ways, such as cycling carbon and helping woodlands retain moisture.

People once thought that tree lungwort could cure lung problems because it resembles the tissue inside the human lung.

In traditional medicine, it has been used to treat various medical conditions.

In India, it is used to treat haemorrhages and eczema.

In British Columbia, Canada, the Hesquate use it as a remedy for coughing up blood.

And in the High Molois region of Italy, it is used as an antiseptic for Wounds.

Lungwort is also used to make orange dyes for wool and leather, as well as for perfumes and beer.

Walking along the crest of this knap between Barnluachgan and Loch Linny, a procession of oaks marches along the ridge.

To the right of the path, an oak stands sentinel above a fallen companion.

And it was here, nestled in the quiet shade, that I discovered the tiny Wilson's filmy fern.

Wilson's filmy fern is a small plant that looks more like a tuft of moss than a fern.

Its leaves are thin and they're see through, divided into narrow, toothed segments.

You can find this plant only in western parts of the uk, such as in Wales, Ireland and of course, here on Scotland's west coast.

It grows best in damp, shady spots among trees or in rocky crags.

As the path goes down through a birch and hazel forest, I spot red squirrels darting through the thin, bending branches.

They leap from tree to tree, eager to find more hazelnuts to store for the winter.

At the bottom of the valley, a lively stream runs over stones, its water clear and bright.

A side pool draws my eyes and I see palmate newts gliding gracefully below the surface.

The palmate newt looks a lot like the smooth newt, but prefers shallow pools on acidic soils such as heathlands.

During the breeding season, males develop black webbing on their back feet.

And in Scotland, their tadpoles, called Fs, may take two years to lose their gills and move on to land.

As the path climbs again, I can see the woodland is now mostly birch, rowan and willow.

The gradual climb is much steeper and a flight of stairs has been installed to help.

This leads to a stunning viewpoint across Loch Linnie.

The path then descends steeply, finally passing through a gate in a deer fence.

We're now back in the birch and hazel woodland.

The path turns sharply to the right and we find more steps to help our descent along this stretch.

On a large boulder, I found the slender mouse tail, a moss synonymous with this habitat in Scotland's ancient rainforests.

A lush green carpet drapes the boulder, inviting a closer look.

The moss grows thick, its narrow leaves tapering to fine points, each stem echoing the delicate shape of a mouse's tail, hence its evocative name.

From here, the path winds through a hazel grove, eventually merging with the Lochside Trail, where hazel branches are arch overhead, creating a leafy tunnel.

It is beneath this natural canopy that I discovered glue fungus.

The glue crust fungus wraps itself around twigs and branches, fusing them into a tangled network that allows it to travel from one branch to another and sometimes even leap to neighbouring trees.

Beneath its sticky pads, it quietly feasts on the decaying wood.

At this site, the glue fungus has hazel gloves and other fungus living off it.

Hazel gloves do not feed on their host tree.

They are parasites of the glue crust fungus.

Hazel gloves have finger like orange lobes covered in tiny black specks.

These specks are spore sacs ready to burst open after releasing their spores.

The fruiting bodies remain as shriveled, blackened crusts on the tree.

Finding hazel gloves and glue fungi in the same wood is a sign of clean air and the lush humid conditions of an Atlantic rainforest, making them flagship species for this precious habitat.

Back on the flat path skirting the loch, with shimmering water on my right and cool shadowy woods on my left, I spotted the first lichen I could confidently name.

The dog lichen grows in damp habitats, often on mossy logs and rocks, but it can also establish itself on garden lawns.

Its leafy lobes have white dog tooth shaped root like rhizines on their undersides, loosely connecting them to the substrate.

I also discovered a wood sorrel tucked into the crook of an old oak, a welcome sight for any thirsty forager looking for something refreshing and natural.

A word of caution about wood sorrel, though like all Oxalis plants, it contains oxalic acid which can be harmful if consumed in large amounts.

In small bites though, it tastes zesty, like a mix of apple peel, grape skin and citrus.

The name sorrel comes from the same root as the word sour and one taste makes that link very clear.

Wood sorrel is full of vitamin C and was once used as a remedy for scurvy.

We find ourselves back at the car park, our first adventure in the Naphthal forest now behind us.

Already I know I will return, drawn by the promise of hidden wonders still waiting to be discovered.

Now we head towards the village of Tevalliak, where we will stay tonight as we get ready to explore the Tainiche National Nature Reserve.

Taeniche is a great example of Atlantic oak woodland.

A pollen survey found the native woodland had been here for around 7,000 years.

The trees colonized northern Britain from far south, where they survived the ice age.

Over 250 species of mosses and liverworts have been recorded here at Tainich and it's also attractive for lichen communities with over 475 species already recorded.

This includes many nationally scarce species and the Norwegian speckled belly, one of the Priority Biodiversity Action Plan or BAP species.

The next morning I'm awake before dawn, excitement buzzing through me at the thought of exploring Taenish.

The peninsula unfolds a tapestry of habitats from the shoreline to grassland, scrub, bog, heath and woodland.

Each alive with its own remarkable cast of plants, insects, birds and of course, mammals.

Before setting foot in the nature reserve, I wandered down to the shoreline.

I had many reasons, but the biggest was the irresistible pull of gazing out towards the incredible isle of Jurassic Park.

I do plan to make many island adventures soon, and Jura is high on my list.

This morning, when I looked out toward Jura, I got a few unexpected surprises.

While I was standing there, lost in thought and gazing out to sea, something much closer grabbed my attention.

Just a hundred meters away, an otter floated on its back, feasting on a crab.

I settled down and raised my binoculars, eager for a closer glimpse.

There he was, a lone otter, likely a male, lounging in that unmistakable pose.

I moved slowly so as not to disturb him and managed to snap a quick picture.

He didn't seem that bothered by me.

He rolled over and started swimming from my left, moving right across the area where I was watching as he slipped beneath the waves, vanishing for a minute or two.

He then resurfaced triumphantly on his back, ready to tackle a second enormous crab for breakfast.

It's very unusual to have time when watching wildlife, but today was different.

This otter wasn't in any rush.

He had found the perfect spot for breakfast and he intended to savour every every bite.

The otter population in Scotland has made a remarkable recovery with an estimated 8,000 otters now living in the country.

This recovery is a testament to the improved water quality in Scotland.

Otters are mainly solitary semi aquatic mammals that primarily obtain food from locks, rivers or the sea.

Around half of the otters live and feed almost exclusively in the sea in Scotland.

Despite this coastal preference, these otters are the same species as those living in the lochs and rivers.

Coastal otters, also known as sea otters, have smaller home ranges than their river dwelling cousins due to the abundance of fish and crustaceans in the western coastal waters.

And each otter will eat around one to one and a half kilograms of seafood daily.

To remain effective as insulation, otters must use fresh water to keep their fur salt free.

I switched my camera to silent mode and settled in, eager to capture a stunning series of pictures of this striking fellow as he moved through his wild home.

While I stayed in place, I looked to my left and saw two heads with big dark eyes bobbing up and down in the waves about 200 meters away.

They were harbour seals and they looked a bit like big Labradors.

Their deep dark eyes watched me with the same curiosity as I felt as I watched them.

Harbor seals can live for as long as 30 years.

Adults are about one and a half meters long and usually weigh between 80.

And it's not that easy to tell male and female harbour seals apart.

Although the males are slightly larger, they have rounded dog like heads with steep foreheads and forward facing eyes.

Harbour seals like to come ashore in sheltered waters and usually feed within 40 to 50 kilometres of where they will haul out.

You'll find plenty of harbour seals along Scotland's west coast, the Hebrides and indeed the Northern Isles.

But there aren't as many on the east coast.

Female harbour seals usually give birth in June or July, often returning to the same haul out spots where they were born.

Their pups don't have a white coat.

Because they shed it before birth and they can swim as soon as they're born.

I get it.

At this point you might be thinking how lucky can one guy be?

And I agree.

But just then I was about to spot another iconic Scottish wild animal, this time up in the sky.

But that's a story for next time when our adventure in Scotland's ancient rainforest continues.

What was soaring above the trees?

Well, you'll find out in two weeks time with part two of our adventures in Scotland's temperate rainforests on the Wildlife Matters podcast.

I really hope you enjoyed the first part of our adventure in Scotland's amazing temperate rainforest.

Make sure to subscribe so you don't miss part two in our next episode.

Two weeks from now we'll also reveal which iconic wild species we spotted, but until then we'll keep you in suspense.

It's great to have more people sharing in our adventures and love for wildlife and nature.

Our recent episode on Murmurations is already one of our most listened to shows ever and that is amazing.

It makes all the days of work.

That go into each episode feel truly worthwhile.

Wildlife Matters will return on 25 February with part two about epic Scottish rainforest adventure, the latest nature news and another audio adventure in the wild with mindful moments.

But as always, thank you for taking the time to listen to us today.

Until next time, stay curious wild ones.

This is Wildlife Matters signing off.