Info, news & debate
Land
Introducing Yorkley Court Community Farm – you can help them to secure their land with a land trust, and avoid eviction
Yorkley Court Community Farm is in the Forest of Dean. They contacted us as they’re involved in a legal battle to stay on the land that they’re currently occupying. The ownership of the land is contested, but a lot of damage has been done
Want to see land shared more equally, and managed ecologically? If so, here’s what to do
We used to get people on our straw-bale building courses who were amazed at how simple and quick a technique it is. They’d sometimes say ‘wow, I’m going to get a few acres and build my own home!’ and we’d have to inform them that they might have to do it in another country.
Will nature deal with our crop and garden pests if we don’t intervene or use poisons?
It’s been cold, really cold. For a while I thought it was just that my new garden is on a very exposed site, and until the windbreaks really get going I’m going to have to put up with a late start to the season.
3 million front gardens have been completely paved since 2005. Let’s try to reverse this trend.
The RHS 2015 Greening Grey Britain Report reveals that three times as many front gardens are paved over compared to ten years ago, a total increase of 15 square miles of ‘grey’, and that plant cover in front gardens has decreased by as much as 15%.
Community vetoes for wind farms, but not for fracking? What’s that about?
On the one hand the new Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Amber Rudd, appears committed to stopping the spread of onshore wind farms; this despite the fact that they are already the most important and cost effective source of renewable energy in the UK, and enjoy the support of two thirds of the population; and …
Help save Apple Island from development by becoming a part-owner and maybe even building yourself a sustainable home
We are asking for your help to support a great example of a sustainable enterprise, not by merely donating to it, but by becoming an investor in a unique piece of nature. See here.
Visit to the Gransfors Burks forge in Sweden – makers of the world’s best axes
Standing outside Huddiksval train station, it’s pouring with rain and I am beginning to wonder what the hell I am doing here. Having been travelling for 12 hours I’m tired and hungry, there is no one here to collect me, a taxi is more expensive than my flight from the UK and not a bus …
Ecological Land Co-op plan 20 (!) new settlements, and you can get involved – new community share offer launches today
We’re excited to announce an opportunity to invest in the development of ecological smallholdings in England. Our key aim is to widen the access to land for sustainable use through the creation of affordable low-impact smallholdings. We’d love you to join us in making this possible.
the Ecological Land Co-op have produced a much-needed, free overview of research on ecological agriculture in the UK
The Ecological Land Co-operative recently produced an overview of research on ecological agriculture in the UK. We’ve used this to create a new online resource, freely accessible via our website.
Let’s stop subsidising giant, damaging agri-business – join the Landworkers’ Alliance on April 29th
Join the Landworkers’ Alliance (LWA) as we celebrate Via Campesina’s International day of Peasant Struggle. Weds April 29th, British Sugar Factory, Bury St Edmunds, 1.30pm
Ecological Land Co-op publishes its first annual report; feedback welcome
NB: the Ecological Land Co-op set a precedent in England (following the success of Lammas Ecovillage in Wales) by gaining planning permission for homes on smallholdings outside the development zone (in Devon), by agreeing to abide by strict ecological criteria
Protest to save food-growing land in Bristol
Protestors are occupying trees in Bristol, UK, on food-growing land threatened by a controversial road-building scheme. Evictions started yesterday, after Bristol City council won a High Court possession order.
Interested in rural cohousing? Introducing the Agroecological Land Initiative
The Agroecological Land Initiative is an new organisation founded to advocate and implement agroecological methods in the UK to help secure food sovereignty, energy independence, and environmental regeneration in a way that is financially viable and socially just.
One Planet Development opportunity next to Lammas eco-village in Wales
Here’s an opportunity to you potential smallholders / rat-race escapees: A thirty acre field next to the Lammas ecovillage has come up for sale.
You can help a low-impact, off-grid community obtain permanent planning permission
This is an opportunity to represent and to support our friends at the Steward Community Woodland in their application for permanent planning permission. After 15 years of successful experimentation in sustainable living, they are now applying for permanent planning permission
Job opportunity in the WWOOF team
Personnel and Organisational Administrator WWOOF UK (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) is looking for a specialist in HR policy and procedures, with strong people skills.
How to turn trees into houses, and why it’s a good idea
There’s a lot of talk these days about ‘carbon sequestration’ – how to lock up carbon from the atmosphere in various ways, including:
Unique opportunity to live on a low-impact, off-grid smallholding in Devon
My name is James Dexter and I am one of the new tenants at Greenham Reach which is a low-impact farming project established in north Devon by the Ecological Land Coop (ELC)
We have a huge housing problem, and yet they want to destroy Charlie’s home; you can help
This blog is about the house that Charlie and Meg built. It’s a straw-bale roundhouse with a reciprocal roof, built in the countryside where they grew up. The exterior can be seen above, the interior below, with Charlie, Meg and sprog in the middle.
The battle to save Polish small farms from corporations
This is something we really want to support. Corporate land-grabs, supported by subservient governments, are happening the world over, and it’s a disaster for ecology and democracy.