A three‑year community project to create new Manx Rainforest at Creg y Cowin reached a milestone last week as the final trees were planted.
The project has seen more than 20,000 native saplings planted across a continuous 107‑acre site, delivered through regular volunteer sessions involving individuals, community groups and partner organisations.
The last trees were planted by Maryan Jel Garmino and Faith Caisip, marking the early completion of a programme originally expected to take five years.
Manx Rainforest
Creg y Cowin, established as an MWT nature reserve in 2023, forms part of the charity’s wider Manx Rainforest restoration work, reviving a rare temperate rainforest habitat that once covered far more of the island.
The initiative also contributes to The Wildlife Trusts’ UK‑wide restoration programme, supported by Aviva.
Native species including oak, birch, alder, rowan, hawthorn, willow, juniper and hazel have been planted to reflect the woodland that would naturally develop in the valley.
As the site matures, it will move to a low‑intensity grazing system, combining food production with nature recovery while improving soil health and water quality.
MWT Reserve
The land is now permanently protected as an MWT reserve, with public access maintained through an existing footpath. Over time, the woodland is expected to support key rainforest species such as pied flycatcher and wood warbler.
Falk Horning, Chair of the Isle of Man Woodland Trust, said the project had relied on “all hands on deck”, with hundreds of volunteers contributing and 25 regulars forming “the absolute backbone” of the work.
MWT’s Head of Conservation and Land, David Bellamy, described the completion as a “significant milestone”, highlighting the benefits for wildlife, water quality and flood resilience downstream in Douglas.
With planting now finished, the site enters its next phase, where natural processes, careful management and continued community involvement will shape the developing woodland.
