The Living Rainforest is an indoor greenhousetropical rainforest located in Hampstead Norreys in Berkshire, England. It is an ecological centre, educational centre and visitor attractionconsisting of three glasshouses, operated and run by the Trust for Sustainable Living. The glasshouses are named Amazonica, Lowlands and Small Islands respectively. The Living Rainforest has been accredited by the Council for Learning Outside of the Classroom and awarded the LOtC Quality Badge. Each year around 25,000 children visit the Living Rainforest as part of their school's curriculum.
History
The site was once an orchid nursery called Wyld Court Orchids who were well known for their collection of rare and beautiful natural orchid species, especially Cymbidiums and Lycastes. Wyld Court Orchids received considerable recognition from the R.H.S. including a distinction of Grand Champion Hybrid and Best in Show for a home-raised seedling at the British Orchid Council Congress Show. The privately owned ‘Wyld Court Rainforest’ was created in 1991 by philanthropist Keith Bromley and horticulturalist Barry Findon. Keith Bromley said he was inspired to create Wyld Court Rainforest after sailing in the Orinoco delta in Venezuela in the 1980s. It first opened to the public in April 1993 as a rainforest visitor centre. They donated the facility to the World Land Trust in 1996. On 30 June 2000, ownership of Wyld Court Rainforest Ltd transferred from the World Land Trust to a new company "The Living Rainforest", and has been operated by Karl Hansen as an independent educational charity since July 2000. The centre is home to over 700 plants and animals including rare and endangered species of global conservation value.
Attractions
The visitor attraction consists of three glass houses that adjoin each other; the flora and fauna in each glass house are representative of different layers or areas of tropical rainforests. The rainforest layers represented in the Amazonica and Lowlands glasshouses include the canopy, understory and forest floor layers. The Small Islands glasshouse exhibits shows life at the edge of an island rainforest, the exhibits in this glasshouse are being developed to highlight the issues and concerns faced by Small Island Developing States throughout the world. The Human Impact Building opened in 2006 incorporating sustainable materials, Low Embodied Energy, passive/natural ventilation, passive solar gain and a small photovoltaic solar array. There is also a gift shop, cafe, outdoor adventure themed children’s playground and picnic area with a rainforest theme.
Littoral Zone project completed in October 2018 saw the introduction of plants in Small Islands often found at or just above the high water mark, these together with the mangroves exhibit represent the Littoral Zone
Bromeliads exhibit was introduced in August 2018, the concept of the exhibit is bromeliads growing on or around a fallen tree
The Plant Collection at The Living Rainforest contains some of the most attractive species of the many tropical plant families such as bananas, bromeliads, calatheas, cinnamon, ficus, gingers, hoyas and orchids. However the highlights of the collection are the Aroids and the Philippine Jade Vine. Plants of particular interest include;
