Car brand Defender has handed a £100,000 funding grant and one of its 4x4 vehicles to Thousand Year Trust, the UK’s only charity dedicated to restoring the Atlantic temperate rainforest.

The South West of England based charity has won Defender’s inaugural award scheme in recognition of its “pioneering work to protect and restore the UK’s rare rainforests, shaped by the climate from the Atlantic Ocean”.

This used to cover a fifth of the UK, but now only represents 1% of its land.

The Trust aims to restore 10,000 of rainforest in areas including Bodmin Moor by planning 1.28m native trees, that will capture 220,000 tonnes of C02 emissions from the atmosphere.

The Thousand Year Trust was selected from a 56-stong shortlist and is one of six global winners for the brand’s £1m charitable scheme.

Other winners include a biodiversity initiative in Japan, wildlife conservation in Italy, healthcare provision in Australia and marine protection in South Africa and France.

“Selecting our winners from an incredible shortlist of 56 global projects was tough but we believe those chosen best reflect the conservation and humanitarian heroes around the world that are embracing the impossible every day,” said Defender brand director Mark Cameron.

“We can’t wait to see the impact that the Defender Awards will have on these inspiring projects in taking them to the next level.”

Thousand Year Trust founder and managing director Merlin Hanbury-Tenison added:
“Britain has always been a rainforest island at heart, and with Defender by our side, we’re more determined than ever to bring those lost landscapes back to life.

“The Defender Awards give us the chance to take this message further than ever before—working hand-in-hand with farmers across the country to restore rare ecosystems while supporting sustainable rural livelihoods.

He added: “This support will help us unlock remote corners of Bodmin Moor through a 10,000-acre restoration programme, reconnect habitats, and scale a model that benefits both nature and rural communities.

“It’s about looking beyond quick fixes and committing to the long view—creating living, breathing rainforests that future generations can cherish.”

---