Anyone interested in setting up a share funded rewilding scheme?

#1

I’ve been moonlighting on the XR Rewilding Group as I’ve thought up an interesting model to raise money to buy land which then you’d rewild. I’ve had an incredible response but am trying to find a way to find a pragmatic group of people to help develop the project(s).

What the group would do

  1. Identify large farm (at least 100 acres) to buy and create a financial case for converting to rewilded piece of land (like they did on Knepp)

There is a financial case to be made in this space but it does depend on what the status of the land is prior to changing it, what building are on the land, and how the land is used beyond rewilding and how it is managed.

  1. Fundraise by selling share are offered with financial returns and carbon offsetting

This has good potential as shareholders can trade their shareholding and are betting on demand for voluntary carbon mitigation to go up as well as payment for other ecosystem services

  1. Raise the money and deliver the project.

What’s needed in the team

I’ve got connections with investment groups looking for this type of project (as long as numbers and the proposition can be presented correctly) and have fundraising experience, and working knowledge of ecosystem services and voluntary carbon offsets. What I lack is the time such a project would take to get off the ground (mainly in helping search for pieces of land and creating the proposition), as well as communications, further ecosystem service assessment and land management experience.

If you’re interested then join this group and let us know what you could bring to the party. It could be:

  • Time to search for relevant sites and develop thinking for the proposition.
  • Experience of this type of project or just land management
  • Willingness or interest in helping manage a site like this.
  • Knowledge of measuring ecosystem services or other specialized skills in land management.
  • Specialist knowledge in governance for a scheme such as this.

I’ll share more information through the group.

1 Like
#2

This is such a great idea! I wish I had any capacity to contribute but I’m still a little overwhelmed by newborn, toddler, lockdown situation :roll_eyes: can I join the group and keep up to date on developments?

#3

Sure. Totally sympathise with your situation (having recently gone through it myself) - hope keeping well!