Scaling reforestation for climate resilience
Creating climate resilient trees
Trees are vital to climate resilience, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration, but global reforestation efforts are under threat. In the UK, tree mortality rates are rising due to poor-quality nursery stock, droughts, smaller planting windows, and degraded soils. On many reforestation projects, an average 30% of newly planted trees die within the first three years. While in more arid regions like the Middle East, traditional growing approaches can’t meet demand in time to hit planting targets.
We’re working with our partners to create a new approach to reforestation at scale. Through R&D in forestry innovation, we’re focusing on tree resilience for maximum environmental impact, not just the volume of saplings planted.
Our approach: ForestFactory®
In partnership with Blenheim Palace, we’ve created ForestFactory®, a first-of-its-kind solution that focuses on tree survivability, speed of sapling readiness for planting, and scale of delivery.
Through ForestFactory®, we grow trees that are sturdier, faster-growing, and better suited to changing climates. This unique approach combines:
Vertical farming: using a space-efficient, smart-controlled system to grow seedlings, with tailored “growing recipes”- modifying light, nutrients, and environmental conditions to enhance tree resilience.
Biochar: using biochar enriched compost to enhance soil fertility and increase water retention while sequestering carbon for centuries.
ForestFactory® trees grow four times faster than conventional nursery stock and show significantly improved resilience. Our tried and tested approach means we can deploy ForestFactory® at scale, producing high quality saplings to meet local needs within six months.
We partner with landowners and managers, local councils, and environmental charities to deliver saplings at speed, on time and in full, with resilience built in from the outset.
Our impact
4x
faster growth
ForestFactory® seedlings grow 4x faster than nursery stock, enabling shorter delivery times for forestry managers and landowners
x2
ForestFactory® seedling stem height-diameter ratio
An indicator of more resilient trees with higher survivability
2m
Scaling operations to grow 2 million seedlings annually
Forestry case studies
Tiny Forests in Barnet
We’ve created ‘Tiny Forests’ in Barnet, North London, using trees from our ForestFactory® to support urban regeneration.
ForestFactory® with Blenheim Palace
We’ve created a new solution for the forestry industry that focuses on creating resilient trees at scale.