Following successful trades elsewhere in the country, a LENs community of practice is now developing in Yorkshire. An environmentally and economically diverse landscape, Yorkshire lends itself well to the LENs model. The project team is currently working to develop a pipeline of trades as businesses and organisations seek to support farmers and land managers to deliver nature-based solutions and sustainable farming practices. The outcomes of interest include supply chain resilience, emissions reductions, carbon sequestration, soil health, improved biodiversity and water quality, among others.

In 2023, prospective funders Nestlé Purina Petcare, Diageo, and Yorkshire Water are actively working to secure a first trade. This will initially focus around arable farming in the Vale of York, with ambitions to expand in scope as additional Funders come on board. Farmer support and technical expertise will be organised and delivered by Yorkshire-based sustainable agriculture advisors Future Food Solutions, while 3Keel manages the trade and develops LENs governance in the region. Yorkshire represents an exciting opportunity in the development of LENs to demonstrate how impactful landscape outcomes can be rapidly delivered with the assistance of local experts. Simultaneously, the LENs team will seek to develop a locally-owned organisational framework to manage LENs trades in Yorkshire into the future.

To learn more about the development of LENs in Yorkshire, please contact the LENs team here