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The Woodland Trust has bought a 550-acre Celtic rainforest in a spectacular untouched gorge.

The charity has paid just under £1m for the site, in Snowdonia, after launching a public appeal at the National Eisteddfod in August.

The site, Ceunant Llennyrch , has more than 200 species of mosses and liverworts that thrive in humid conditions created by a mountain river flowing through a wooded gorge with waterfalls.

The area also boasts over 200 species of lichen plants on tree trunks and is among the richest woodland lichen sites in Wales.

Vital part of conservation area

The wood is said to be a vital part of the Meirionnydd Oakwoods Special Area of Conservation – of European importance for its extraordinary plant life.

Related:Wales' ancient woodlands are as 'globally significant' as tropical rainforests, experts say

Just recently, the Ice Age lichen Thelotrema petractoides, a species found nowhere else in Wales, was discovered in the neighbouring woodland Coed Felinrhyd.

(Image: Woodland Trust)

The Trust says though it has raised enough cash to buy the site it needs more money to manage and extend the woodland.

TV naturalist Iolo Williams voiced his support for the Trust’s efforts.

He said: “People are quite rightly concerned about the future of the tropical rainforests.

“But with over 200 days of rain every year, Llennyrch is no less a rainforest, and that rain creates special conditions which have helped make this area such a biodiversity hotspot.”

(Image: The Woodland Trust)

The site connects to two national nature reserves and Coed Felinrhyd, which is an existing Woodland Trust wood. It has been described as a Celtic rainforest.

Trust spokesman Rory Francis said the organisation benefited from a substantial legacy running into “hundreds of thousands” to buy the site.

He said: “The legator wanted it to be used in an acquisition and we’ve been working with the family for some time to find an acquisition that they were happy with.

“They wanted a site with a wow factor and it took some time, but when they saw the details of this site they were very, very keen.”

The donor’s family wish to remain anonymous.

The Trust will open parts of the site for the public, giving access from a visitor centre at Llyn Trawsfynydd.

(Image: Barry Hunter)

Natural Resources Wales gave £50,000 towards the site and their chief executive, Dr Emyr Roberts, said it could be used to promote green tourism.

Related:Claims 'irreplaceable' woodland would be 'cut in two' by plans for new quarry access road

The Trust say they need to raise a further £331,000 to help manage Ceunant Llennyrch.

The wood is surrounded by around 400 acres of farmland and the trust plans to work with the farmer to demonstrate the “many benefits of trees on farms”.

The woodland dates back to the last ice age 10,000 years ago. Parts of the gorge are said to run so deep they are untouched by human hand.