- New research from Aviva shows many people don’t know temperate rainforests can help tackle climate change
- These rare habitats are critical to the UK’s biodiversity and climate resilience
- Aviva, as part of its 100-year programme with The Wildlife Trusts, teams up with Hamza Yassin to find the UK’s next generation of young wildlife photographers
Renowned nature wildlife campaigner Hamza Yassin has joined forces with Aviva and The Wildlife Trusts to help educate children about Britain’s native temperate rainforests, after new research* revealed nearly three in four (73%[1]) people don’t know these rare habitats exist across the UK.
As the UK emerges from its hottest ever summer[2] with more than 1,000 wildfires recorded across England and Wales by mid-August[3], protecting and restoring these natural habitats has never been more important. The research suggests many people don’t know the role temperate rainforests play to help landscapes adapt to more extreme weather events. In fact, two thirds (66%[4]) of those surveyed didn’t know that temperate rainforests help to reduce the risk of flooding by slowing the flow of heavy rainfall.
Once covering as much as 20% of Britain, temperate rainforests now account for less than 1% of land cover[5] and are among the UK’s rarest habitats. Found in only a handful of places across the UK – and in a small number of countries worldwide, including Japan, New Zealand, Chile and Canada – they provide a home for wildlife including pine martens and red squirrels.
To help raise awareness of these crucial natural habitats, Aviva and The Wildlife Trusts have partnered with Hamza to find the UK’s next young rising star of nature photography in a bid to educate the next generation about the rainforest’s vital role supporting wildlife, restoring nature and building climate resilience.
The Rainforest Explorers Photography Competition invites children to visit one of the UK’s temperate rainforests with family, friends or their school, take a photograph, choose their favourite image and ask a parent or guardian to submit it on their behalf.
Entries will be judged across two age groups (4-7 and 8-11 years) and two competition categories:
Rainforest Explorers: photographs taken in a UK temperate rainforest.
Urban Jungle: photographs capturing nature and wildlife closer to home, whether in a garden, park, woodland, pond or other local green space, making the competition accessible to children who are unable to visit a UK temperate rainforest.
Winners will take part in a special wildlife photography masterclass in a UK temperate rainforest with acclaimed young wildlife photographer Jamie Smart. Jamie will share her top tips for photographing wildlife and help winners develop their skills in capturing the natural world. The competition follows Aviva’s £38 million donation to The Wildlife Trusts in 2023 to help restore the UK’s lost temperate rainforests.
Hamza Yassin, said: “Most people are amazed to discover that we have rainforests right here in the UK. These hidden, magical places are bursting with wildlife and play an important role in tackling climate change, so I’m passionate about helping more people discover them. It’s why I’m so excited to team up with Aviva, supported by The Wildlife Trusts, to launch the Rainforest Explorers Photography Competition. I’m inviting young nature lovers to grab a camera, head outdoors and show us the natural world through their eyes. Whether they explore a rainforest or local green space, I can’t wait to see what they discover. Nature is full of surprises, and you never know what might be hiding just around the corner!”
Claudine Blamey, Aviva’s Chief Sustainability Officer, said: “Protecting and restoring nature to help our customers and communities get ready for a changing climate is hugely important to Aviva. This campaign forms part of our partnership with the Wildlife Trusts to help restore the UK’s lost temperate rainforests, which are so critical to how we build resilience to the impacts of climate change. Hamza Yassin is the perfect ambassador to front our competition and help educate the next generation about the importance of these magical woodlands.”
For full details and how to enter, visit: www.aviva.com/rainforest-explorers
