A whole fram approach to natural capital development

The Soil Association and partners at the Woodland Trust, Finance Earth and Soil Association Certification have received funding to explore ways for small and medium size farms to participate in natural capital projects, alongside maintaining food production. 

Many farmers have opportunities to develop new natural assets by planting trees and establishing habitats to store carbon, increase biodiversity and improve water quality. However, earlier research has found that current mechanisms around natural capital projects are complex and generally only accessible to large landowners, resulting in missed opportunities.  

Running until March 2025, this new project will: 

• Work with five small and medium size farms to plan and develop a whole farm approach to natural capital development.  
• Explore opportunities for small and medium size farms to work together in clusters and groups to attract funding and make projects easier to manage. 

The work is being funded by the Facility for Investment Ready Nature in Scotland, supported by NatureScot in collaboration with The Scottish Government and in partnership with the National Lottery Heritage Fund. 

To find out more, visit the Soil Association website.