About Us
Establishing Balance
Our small team grew up in Mid Wales and have a passion for nature in their blood.
Founded in Radnorshire, farming is the backbone of our local economy. We are proud of our area’s important agricultural roots and feel strongly about working with farming communities to help nature flourish.
For realistic change we believe there needs to be a practical balance between conservation and agriculture and that it doesn’t have to be one or the other.
We aim to keep things simple and straightforward. We don’t have a board of trustees or a long list of specifications; we are taking grass roots action now. Starting wildlife friendly projects on working farms, with the money we raise going directly to the work needed. We hope that each area of woodland protected or hedgerow replanted will combine to make a lasting difference.
Background
Wilba is part of the Marches Business Group. Whilst making eco-friendly changes and choices Marches Business Group supports 200 people locally and abroad and like any other business unavoidably generates carbon to the detriment of wildlife. In 2021 Marches Business Group were approached by a larger organisation to plant trees on the other side of the world for carbon offsetting. Living in an area directly affected by the land grabbing for carbon offsetting debate, they felt there was something more direct and measurable they could do to that would also benefit the local community. Wilba was born.
With a genuine united passion for nature, our members have mixed backgrounds in business, farming and conservation creating a more well-balanced approach. With experience in business, we understand the challenges our local farmers face and acknowledge the fact that our growing population needs to be fed and our local economy supported.
While greater environmental change is, of course, needed we aim to bypass policy, blame, lengthy debate, and polarised opinions and take straightforward action to help nature now.
“We don’t take a one size fits all approach. All our projects are tailored to the landscape they are on. Our projects include; fencing off and protecting pockets of uncultivated or unusable land, hedge planting and laying, creating nature corridors, hay meadow creation and maintenance, creating new habitats and nesting areas like ponds and bird boxes, planting trees in suitable areas and maintaining existing woodland.”
— Tom Underhill (Managing Director)