Ecological Land Co-operative – Rooting farming in equity and ecology
Meet the team on a mission to make living off the land more accessible and build a countryside that works for everyone.
The Ecological Land Co‑operative (ELC) has been transforming access to agricultural land for more than 14 years. It was set up as a community benefit society (CBS) to create a living, working countryside that enhances communities and the natural world.
This unique, pioneering organisation purchases agricultural land and plans ecological smallholdings for the site, drawing on advice from ecologists, planning experts and the local community, to put together an application to the local planning authority for residential smallholdings.
Once planning permission is granted, they install infrastructure and select suitable farm stewards to take on the smallholding plots under long term agreements. The holdings’ performance is monitored against a binding management plan, which ensures planning regulations and ecological standards are being met.
“Our stewards include veg box scheme providers, apple tree growers and flower farmers,” said Operations Co‑ordinator Zoe Truong. “This model is for people committed to making a life on the land. It can be hard – and we have to be sure people are in it for the long haul.”
To reach new, aspiring farmers, the team launched the Gift Your Land Campaign. It’s designed for landowners who would like to gift their land into community ownership and ensure it’s farmed ecologically, but who don't have a succession plan.
ELC receives these farms as gifts – either through wills or donations – and transforms them into accessible plots for people with agricultural aspirations.
“With this programme, we offer smallholdings on a rental model, allowing those who are new to farming to try out their newly developed skills in regenerative agriculture without the risk of buying a lease with their life’s savings,” said Zoe.
These sites have attracted a more diverse range of stewards and provided a supported pathway into ecological farming.
To support ELC's charitable work, the organisation had to set up a sister charity, but eventually decided they needed a clearer, more unified approach. Converting to a charitable community benefit society was the ideal solution.
“Having a single legal vehicle simplifies everything,” Zoe explained. “It’s easier for people to gift land and easier for us to talk to funders. Our fundraiser used to work across two entities – now they can focus and be more effective.”
To explore and navigate the conversion process, Zoe and the team sought help from the Business Support for Co‑ops programme, delivered by Co‑operatives UK in partnership with The Co‑operative Bank.
They received support from Co‑operatives UK’s Dane Pollard, who guided their governance, legal and regulatory journey – and Charlotte Hollins of Fordhall Organic Farm – the UK’s first community‑owned farm and a working charitable CBS.
“Dane helped us rewrite our constitution, draft new charitable objects and register with the Financial Conduct Authority. He’s a font of governance knowledge,” said Zoe. “We couldn’t have done this without him.”
Charlotte provided peer‑to‑peer support, sharing her experiences of running a charitable CBS and generously offering practical resources – from marketing materials to member communication strategies.
Dane and Charlotte’s combined advice armed ELC with both technical know‑how and practical real‑world experience. “They were so generous with their time,” Zoe said. “It made a complex process feel possible.”
With a new name: Ecological Land and People Limited, the organisation is completing the final steps of its transition – with a stronger structure, better fundraising prospects and clearer governance.
The organisation is also taking steps to empower its 29 land steward members with a greater role in shaping its direction. “We’re shifting to be more steward‑led,” said Zoe, “with staff facilitating what the stewards want and need from the land.”
And going forward, the team will focus more on the Gift Your Land campaign. “We’re unique and what we offer is unique. We want to work with a wider range of people and increase the diversity and age range of our stewards – and that will strengthen us as an organisation.”
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