Empower 80+ communities restore their ecosystems

With the arrival of a new season, it's time to update you on what you're making possible on the ground!

This week, the ERC Foundation team travelled to Paris for ChangeNOW - an annual summit recognized as the world's largest event dedicated to solutions for the planet. Over three inspiring days we fostered meaningful connections and exchanged innovative ideas with other organizations and individuals. We also introduced Ecosystem Restoration Communities to several big potential funders, so fingers crossed for some positive outcomes that will enable us to do even more planet restoration.

This event really reminded us that, together, we have the collective strength to restore our planet - and we're thrilled that you're part of the movement!

A new wave of collaboration for our oceans

In January, we launched a new Marine Ecosystems Community of Practice, bringing together four Ecosystem Restoration Communities working to restore coral reefs and mangroves in the Philippines, Kenya, and Egypt. Supported by the NAIAD Foundation, this five-year collaboration also focuses on building regenerative, ocean-based livelihoods for local communities.

By connecting local innovators, the Community of Practice strengthens each restoration initiative through shared learning, practical exchange, and collective problem-solving - delivering greater benefits for both people and nature.

At a time when marine restoration is costly and underfunded, this initiative explores how community-led and citizen-science approaches can make restoration more affordable and effective at scale. Participating Communities will meet regularly online and on-site, and over time the collaboration will open to others, expanding its impact.

Read more online to discover how this and other ERC Communities of Practice are shaping the future of ecosystem restoration.

Becoming a Regenerative Farmer training kicks off again!

Last year, the Foundation partnered with ERC Henbant Permaculture Farm in North Wales to create a brand new training, on how to successfully run a small farm that pays it's own way, produces nutrient-rich food for family and community, builds soil health, and restores biodiversity.

In March, the next recruit of ecological farmers - who are committed to enjoying growing good, nutrient-dense food while restoring ecosystems, sequestering carbon, and boosting biodiversity - began their eight-month, indepth, expert-led online training, which includes three hands-on long weekends at Henbant. We wish them all the best on their exciting learning journey, and can't wait to see how they use this knowledge, experience and new network to build their profitable, nature restoring farms!  

From rewilding a garden to rewilding your life as a whole, this course covers it all

We're also excited to let you know that The Rewilding Training - created in partnership with ERC Embercombe in England - is in its 4th iteration this year! This wildly popular nine-month learning journey takes people who're interested in rewilding from a curiosity to having the confidence, knowledge, skills, ability and contacts to be able to rewild their own site, or another landowner's.  

The movement is growing: Meet our new communities

Since January, we've welcomed eight new restoration communities! Here's a short introduction to each of our newest members...

Furnace Brook, set in East Sussex (UK)  is using regenerative farming and community action to restore a 24 hectare site damaged by intensive agriculture and pollution, rebuilding nature, food & water security and rural resilience.

EcoAtivo is located in central Portugal’s Serra da Estrela foothills. Founded in 2020, it regenerates fire-degraded land through soil and water restoration, agroforestry, native species recovery, and community stewardship.

AHIMSA is restoring a degraded 5-acre site in Tamil Nadu into a living classroom. Through water harvesting, organic soil regeneration, and community-led farming, soils are reviving, biodiversity is returning, and local farmers are building climate resilience.

Olivias Grönsaker is a community regenerative farm in southern Sweden, restoring compacted grazing land through no-till growing, compost, wild habitats and a pond, while using local food, volunteers and events to rebuild soil, biodiversity.

EcoBarge Clean Seas (Australia) in the Whitsunday Islands is restoring a degraded riparian corridor - planting native trees, rebuilding habitat, and protecting water flowing to the Reef.

Instituto Felinos do Aguaí (Brazil), located in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, is protecting wild cats and restoring their natural habitat through research, rewilding and education.

Asociación Defensores del Monumento Natural Zona de Los Santos (Costa Rica) is restoring a degraded mountainous landscape with regenerative agroforestry, living fences and river care, healing soils, water and livelihoods.

Waking Life (Portugal), located in the country's Alentejo region, is restoring 35 hectares of abandoned, strained landscape into a biodiverse park where ecosystems, culture and community grow together.

You're invited to be part of the action on the ground

Remember, there are always opportunities for you to volunteer your time on the ground at any of the restoration communities. Simply visit our website and navigate to the ERC that resonates the most with you. You can also find a list of upcoming online and onsite events and activites on the website.

Thank you for generously donating to make earth regeneration possible. We're so grateful for your support and simply couldn't do it without you

Warmest wishes,
Cath and the ERC team