LHC Design is proud to announce our new charity partner is the Devon Environment Foundation, a charity that exists to protect and restore Devon’s natural environment by funding local nature regeneration projects.
There are lots of brilliant environmental initiatives happening in Devon – including rewilding, regenerative agriculture, reintroduction of keystone species, and marine permaculture. However, many of these initiatives are fledgling projects that need financial support to fully maximise their potential for positive impact.
Devon Environment Foundation’s ambition is to protect and restore at least 30% of Devon’s land and water by 2030, and they are working with expert local partners to implement bold nature regeneration projects that can be replicated and scaled to leave a positive legacy for future generations.
In their first nine months, the new Foundation has awarded £145K to twelve projects, including funding wildlife wardens, Devon beavers, seaweed farming, tree planting, regenerative farming on Dartmoor and Litter Free Sea.
The LHC Design teams are knowledgeable and passionate about designing sustainably, particularly in our home region and are looking forward to working with and supporting the Devon Environment Foundation in a number of different ways; by fundraising, volunteering time, learning, sharing expertise and by highlighting the Foundation’s work within our wider network.
The Foundation was chosen to be our new charity partner by LHC’s in-house Environment & Sustainability Action Group. This group was formed two years ago to address climate change and biodiversity loss. It is tasked with reducing LHC’s operational carbon emissions and researching and sharing best practice in sustainable design across the architecture, urban design and landscape architecture teams.
LHC has since endorsed and adopted the principles of UK Architects Declare; RIBA’s 2030 Climate Challenge and Landscape Architects Declare Climate & Biodiversity Emergency. We have also become involved with more regional in initiatives such as the Devon Carbon Plan, Exeter Net Zero 2030 and Plymouth’s Resurgam.
LHC’s charity team will be putting their heads together with the Foundation’s lead, Amanda Keetley, in coming weeks to draw up plans. Of course, LHC’s fundraising wouldn’t be the same without our celebrated baking competitions, charity lunches and sponsored challenges; our Wine Challenge, which was a huge hit in 2019, may well reappear when restrictions allow. This time round though we also wanted to make a practical difference, so we will be looking to get out and about and getting out hands and boots mucky. We will be reporting back on our efforts. Watch this space!
To find out more about the Devon Environment Foundation visit their website HERE or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram @devon_enviro