Zulu Ecosystems and Environmental Farmers Group (EFG) partner to help farmers in the South of England identify opportunities for high-impact woodland creation and participate in the woodland carbon market. 

A landscape-scale nature restoration initiative is set to transform woodland creation efforts in the south of England with support from Defra’s Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund (NEIRF).  

Led by the Environmental Farmers Group (EFG) and in partnership with Zulu Ecosystems, this landmark programme will support farmers across three river catchments (around 600,000 hectares) in the south of England.

This project will form part of EFG’s wider Catchment Conservation Plan, which is designed to deliver on national environmental targets by adopting a truly farmer-led approach. The initiative will conduct comprehensive woodland landscape assessments and work with farmers to identify the areas that are most environmentally impactful and most marginal for agriculture to create new woodlands on. The aim is to enhance native woodland habitats that sequester carbon and deliver wider social and environmental benefits, while adding long-term value to farms from woodland carbon credits. 

"By helping farmers to work together in shaping a compelling plan for the landscape, we can deliver large scale nature projects that combine environmental impact, financial viability and community support," said Ed Asseily, CEO of Zulu Ecosystems. 

“Woodlands are one piece in the landscape mosaic jigsaw. By working with Zulu Ecosystems, we hope to build the business case for smaller woodlands so that EFG Members are confident to plant woodland. This will ensure both the long-term success of woodland projects and the connectedness of projects across the landscape to deliver the scale of woodland planting required to meet our net zero ambitions,” said Digby Sowerby, Operations Officer at Natural Capital Advisory (who support EFG).

Woodland scoping and aggregation model 

EFG is a farmer co-operative in the natural capital sector. Zulu Ecosystems will help its members identify suitable sites for new woodland creation and provide detailed woodland scoping reports for each project. These reports will outline the costs, available grants, plus the amount of carbon that can be sequestered along with carbon value analysis.

One of the project’s key innovations is its aggregation model, which aims to combine smaller woodland projects into larger, more scalable ventures. By aggregating projects, the aim is to reduce planning and delivery costs, particularly around carbon registration, measuring and monitoring, while meeting the scale requirements of the Woodland Carbon Code as well as those of corporate investors and buyers that want to commit to large-scale impactful projects.

"Our goal is to make woodland creation financially viable and ensure that all farmers and landowners can participate in the woodland carbon market,” said Alex Robinson, Commercial Director at Zulu Ecosystems and Partner at Moor Wood Farm. 

Scaling for market demand

This project marks the first of its kind for Zulu Ecosystems and EFG members, establishing a model that has potential to be replicated in other areas across the UK. 

Find out more

For more information on how to regenerate landscapes as a farmer, landowner or volunteer, please contact hello@zuluecosystems.com.