Carbon
Reducing our environmental impact is part of how we run the business day to day. We work in land management, forestry and environmental improvement, so we hold our own operations to the standard we help clients reach. We’ve measured and monitored our carbon emissions since 2018 and have set clear, measurable targets on the way to Net Zero by 2050. Each year we invest in renewable energy, efficient equipment and better carbon management to bring our operational footprint down.
How we’re reducing our carbon footprint
- Offices: powered by 100% renewable electricity backed by Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGO), with PIR lighting controls to cut wasted energy.
- Fleet: every new vehicle we buy is Euro 6, hybrid or fully electric, with EV charging at all our regional depots.
- Travel: vehicle performance monitoring, journey planning, video calls and public transport where it’s practical.
- Tools and plant: we’re moving from petrol and diesel tools to electric ones, and testing low-carbon options for plant, including alternative fuels.
- Reporting: we’re investing in carbon accounting software to make our emissions reporting more accurate.
In the work we deliver
Timber for fencing, boardwalks and barrier systems is sustainably sourced, and we use home-grown UK timber where it’s available and suitable. On erosion control, footpath and landscape works we use locally sourced materials where we can, which cuts transport emissions. Electric equipment is available across our grounds maintenance work, which reduces emissions and noise on campuses, schools, healthcare and residential sites.
Carbon projects for landowners
We help landowners, public bodies and businesses turn natural capital into environmental and financial value. Through woodland creation, habitat restoration and long-term land management, we deliver carbon projects that produce measurable climate benefits alongside gains for biodiversity, the landscape and the rural economy. We support projects from the first idea through to carbon credit verification.
Measuring carbon since 2018
Registered habitat bank
ISO 14001 certified
Buy carbon credits from Lowther
Charismatic Carbon comes from woodland creation on the Lowther Estate. We sell it from our own land, not through a broker, so you know exactly where your carbon comes from and what else it pays for.
Biodiversity Net Gain
We help developers meet their Biodiversity Net Gain obligations in two ways: by creating habitat on site, and by supplying off-site units from the Lowther Estate.
On site, we deliver woodland creation, hedgerow and native planting, wildflower and meadow establishment, pond and wetland creation and habitat restoration as part of net gain and grant-funded programmes, working with landowners, local authorities and conservation bodies.
Off site, the Lowther Estate’s habitat bank has Upland Hay Meadow biodiversity units available, secured through a Section 106 agreement and registered on the National Gain Sites Register (BGS-210525001). You can buy units outright or through an option agreement.
Buy BNG units from Lowther
Off-site biodiversity units from our own land in Cumbria, registered and secured, with no broker in between.
- County: Cumbria
- Units: Upland Hay Meadow
- Register: National Gain Sites Register, BGS-210525001
Ecology
Working on ecologically sensitive ground is routine for us. Riverbanks, reedbeds, marshland, steep slopes and protected habitats all limit which plant can be used and when work can happen. Our ultra-low ground pressure and amphibious plant lets teams work on soft and sensitive ground without the compaction and rutting that conventional machines cause.
Environmental controls are planned before we mobilise and checked afterwards. Our site procedures cover pollution prevention, fuel and material storage, waste segregation, biosecurity between sites, and protection of soils, watercourses and existing vegetation. Where nesting seasons, protected species licences or in-channel working periods set the programme, we plan the works around them.
Habitat built into the work
- Native and climate-adapted planting, chosen for habitat value and longevity as well as the design.
- UK-sourced seed for wildflower and meadow mixes, matched to local soils and pollinators.
- Habitat-friendly detailing on drainage, SuDS and erosion control: aquatic and marginal planting, bioengineering and live willow that hold the ground and provide habitat.
- Nature-based options put forward wherever they meet the engineering requirement.
- Invasive species control using non-chemical methods where practical. Where herbicide is needed, we use approved products and methods chosen to protect soils, watercourses and other species.
Nationally recognised accreditations
NHSS 18A, 18B and 18C accredited for arboricultural works on the strategic road network. Certified to ISO 9001 (Quality Management), ISO 14001 (Environmental Management) and ISO 45001 (Occupational Health and Safety).
Five Offices Across the UK
Our regional offices sit in Penrith (Cumbria, head office), Castleford (Yorkshire and the North East), Runcorn (North West), Milton Keynes (South and East) and the West Midlands. Tree surveying and Advanced Tree Assessments are run from our Penrith team and travel nationally. Project teams come from the office closest to your site.
Social Value
Our responsibility doesn’t stop at the services we deliver. Social value shapes how we work with local communities, support charities and invest in the places where our teams operate. From schools and grassroots sport to community spaces and access to nature, we aim to make a positive, measurable difference wherever we work. By combining practical help, financial support and the skills of our people, we want to leave a legacy that benefits people, communities and the environment.
How we deliver social value
We support local organisations, schools, charities and community groups with money and with practical help. We provide materials, labour and specialist knowledge to improve outdoor learning spaces, community gardens and public spaces, and we back projects that promote health, wellbeing, inclusion and community pride. That includes supporting local schools, sponsoring grassroots sports clubs, donating plants and materials, giving volunteer time to environmental projects and supporting charities for disabled and disadvantaged children.
Recent community projects