The Ecological Land Co-operative (ELC) was set up to address the lack of affordable sites for ecological land-based livelihoods in England. There is an enormous disconnect between the combined cost of land and rural housing, and the income that is usually derived from sustainable rural livelihoods.
Sustainable rural livelihoods – such as small-scale ecological food production – protect the environment and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing fossil fuel use. Such businesses help build a vibrant, living countryside in which people flourish alongside our cherished landscapes and natural biodiversity, and have an important role to play in ensuring food and energy security. They also provide employment, access to local food and crafts, and educational opportunities for urban visitors, helping to maintain rural skills and to improve ecological literacy. The ELC's mission is to increase access to land for such livelihoods.
In this short film you will meet the ELC staff and the smallholders at their first project site, Greenham Reach, in Devon.
You can find out more about their community share offer here.