We believe that the creation of sustainable rural livelihoods is one of the best solutions to our most pressing environmental and social problems. Small-scale production using, for example, agro-forestry or Permaculture methods, maximises yields, protects the environment and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by reducing fossil fuel use. Such businesses help build a vibrant, living countryside in wh
ich humans flourish alongside our cherished landscapes and natural biodiversity. These sustainable projects have a crucial role to play in ensuring food and energy security. They also provide employment, access to local, sustainable food and crafts and educational opportunities for urban visitors, helping to maintain rural skills and to improve ecological literacy. Such small scale enterprises also allow residents to be rooted in their rural locality, helping maintain and regenerate rural communities and the services upon which they depend such as local schools and shops. Ecological footprint analysis show that residents of ecological land based businesses use less than half the natural resources used by the average UK resident and are currently the only form of development in the UK which comes close to achieving One Planet Living*. Yet in England and Wales there are no affordable residential smallholdings for small-scale producers wishing to practice ecological agriculture. The Ecological Land Cooperative has been set up to buy land that has been, or is at risk of being, intensively managed and lease it to people that have the skills to manage it ecologically and would not otherwise be able to afford do so. The Cooperative purchases degraded agricultural land and applies for planning permission for low-impact smallholdings with temporary residences. We provide a water supply, biological waste water treatment system, road access, and a shared barn made of natural and local materials. If we can we also will provide a source of renewable electricity, such as solar panels. We then sell long-term leasehold agreements for the smallholdings at an affordable rate. After the leasehold is sold, we continue to monitor the sites, with a provision for an annual audit built into the leasehold agreement. If the leaseholders do not adhere to the ecological land management criteria, the Cooperative can intervene. The leasehold agreement also prohibits the property being sold out of affordable, agricultural and ecological use. Who gets the smallholdings? For our first three smallholdings anybody was welcome to apply. We selected applicants on a number of criteria including their farming and horticultural experience, experience of low impact living and connection with the locality. We will assess our application process when advertising for tenants for any subsequent sites and will advertise widely.
*One Planet Living is a term to describe living in such a way that a person uses only their fair share of the world's resources, calculated on a global per capita basis. It is currently estimated to be around 2 hectares per person. The UK average is currently about 5.5 hectares per person.
