On 2 November 2024, Woodland Savers worked with colleagues from Plant One CIC, My Little Farm, and Thousand Year Trust to convene a community meeting in the village of Gweek, on the Helford estuary in Cornwall. We were there to discuss a proposed community buy-out of farmland and hyperoceanic temperate rainforest up the valley from the village.
40-50 locals turned out on Bonfire Night to hear presentations from the organisations and discuss the opportunity. A show of hands was overwhelmingly in favour of a community bid (as was lively discussion afterwards in the village pub).
Two days later we submitted one, backed by a comprehensive vision statement of the ecological, social, and financial value of our approach. Unfortunately, we found out that the landowner had agreed to sell the property off-market to a farmer.
But we’re glad to have had the chance to build these partnerships, and take a positive sounding from local people about this collaborative, regenerative, enfranchising approach to land ownership and management.
The partnership is now actively seeking parcels of land above 25 Hectares to make community buy-outs available to locals in Cornwall, and anywhere within the Atlantic Rainforest bioregion. Contact us at hello@woodlandsavers.org.
