The Living Rainforest
Encyclopedia
The Living Rainforest is an indoor greenhouse
tropical rainforest
located in Hampstead Norreys
in Berkshire
, England
. It is a popular ecological centre, educational centre and visitor attraction, run by the Trust for Sustainable Living.
The site was once one of Europe’s leading orchid
nurseries, Wyld Court Orchids. In 1993 it was converted by philanthropist Keith Bromley and horticulturalist Barry Findon into a rainforest visitor centre called Wyld Court Rainforest, featuring plants and animals from the world’s threatened rainforests. In 1996, the centre was donated to the World Land Trust
and in July 2000, passed on to Karl Hansen who established The Living Rainforest as an independent educational charity. .
The charity has grown significantly since 2000, with an emphasis on the need for sustainable development and sustainable living to help conserve the world's disappearing forests and threatened ecosystems. The Living Rainforest's horticultural and zoological staff care for about 700 different species of plants and animals. Major grants from the Millennium Commission, European Commission and other funders have enabled the charity to build a sustainably designed and inspired 'Human Impact Building' and woodchip heating system, which opened in March 2006, inviting visitors to consider how rainforests are linked to their own lives. An acclaimed education programme, offering a choice of four guided school visits, attracted over 20,000 schoolchildren to the centre in 2010-11, and the Living Rainforest is now widely regarded as one of the UK's leading eco-attractions.
Greenhouse
A greenhouse is a building in which plants are grown. These structures range in size from small sheds to very large buildings...
tropical rainforest
Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests
Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests , also known as tropical moist forests, are a tropical and subtropical forest biome....
located in Hampstead Norreys
Hampstead Norreys
Hampstead Norreys is a village and civil parish in Berkshire, England.It is situated at on the River Pang, north of Newbury. As well as Hampstead Norreys itself, the parish includes the hamlets of Bothampstead, Eling and Wyld Court...
in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is a popular ecological centre, educational centre and visitor attraction, run by the Trust for Sustainable Living.
The site was once one of Europe’s leading orchid
Orchidaceae
The Orchidaceae, commonly referred to as the orchid family, is a morphologically diverse and widespread family of monocots in the order Asparagales. Along with the Asteraceae, it is one of the two largest families of flowering plants, with between 21,950 and 26,049 currently accepted species,...
nurseries, Wyld Court Orchids. In 1993 it was converted by philanthropist Keith Bromley and horticulturalist Barry Findon into a rainforest visitor centre called Wyld Court Rainforest, featuring plants and animals from the world’s threatened rainforests. In 1996, the centre was donated to the World Land Trust
World Land Trust
The World Land Trust is a UK-based nonprofit environmental organization established in 1989. Its primary aims are to ensure conservation of plants, animals and natural communities in areas at risk...
and in July 2000, passed on to Karl Hansen who established The Living Rainforest as an independent educational charity. .
The charity has grown significantly since 2000, with an emphasis on the need for sustainable development and sustainable living to help conserve the world's disappearing forests and threatened ecosystems. The Living Rainforest's horticultural and zoological staff care for about 700 different species of plants and animals. Major grants from the Millennium Commission, European Commission and other funders have enabled the charity to build a sustainably designed and inspired 'Human Impact Building' and woodchip heating system, which opened in March 2006, inviting visitors to consider how rainforests are linked to their own lives. An acclaimed education programme, offering a choice of four guided school visits, attracted over 20,000 schoolchildren to the centre in 2010-11, and the Living Rainforest is now widely regarded as one of the UK's leading eco-attractions.