Earth Trust

Founded in 1967, Earth Trust, is an environmental learning charity (not-for-profit organisation) which was originally known as the Northmoor Trust for Countryside Conservation. Earth Trust was established by the British engineer Sir Martin Wood to promote environmental conservation through land management, education, and land science. It is a registered charity under English law.

Earth Trust is based in Little Wittenham, where it owns and manages a 500 hectare (1235 acre) estate, which includes Wittenham Clumps, a conservation farm, Little Wittenham Nature Reserve, a national research woodland (Paradise Wood) and a newly created wetland on the banks of the Thames (River of Life).

From the early 1990s, Earth Trust focused on strengthening their education, research, and agricultural programmes and played a pioneering role in developing agri-environment schemes. The current Farm Step initiative allows start-up green businesses to get on the ladder by offering land with favourable tenancy agreement terms and the opportunity to work alongside other like-minded entrepreneurs. Farm Step businesses are currently producing lamb, pork, goats' cheese, salad and honey.

In 2006, Earth Trust completed a move to volunteer-constructed, environmentally friendly offices at Hill Farm and opened a landscape evolution centre known as Project Timescape; the project ended and the Earth Trust Centre is now used as an educational base for visiting school and community groups and during Earth Trust events. The Earth School programme offers a wide variety of workshops for pupils on school trips.

In 2009, Earth Trust came into a management position of Thrupp Lake, located in Radley, which is owned by RWE nPower. A wetland site, it is one of England’s bird sites. In addition, Earth Trust manage a number of community meadows in the nearby towns of Abingdon, Didcot and Wallingford.

Earth Trust hosts a full programme of events each year, including countryside management courses, taster workshops and family festivals. They are best known for their Lambing Weekends in spring, which were attended by over 8,000 people in 2016.

Earth Trust relies on the support of volunteers who carry out a range of tasks, including habitat management on their nature reserves, administration in the office, and support during education sessions and events. In 2016 the hard work of the Earth Trust Volunteers was recognised when they received The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service – the MBE for volunteer groups.

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