This report describes a set of pilot social forestry projects supported by the National Association for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (NAAONB). We suggest that social enterprise approaches are an increasingly important mechanism for delivering health and well-being benefits, environmental enhancement and economic outcomes. Social enterprises are “triple bottom line” organisations, and have proved in a wide range of sectors that they can deliver these benefits both directly, or by supporting the operation of other economic factors.

Background

The NAAONB bid received funding from DEFRA to support “social forestry” pilot projects in 8
Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The pilot work was linked to exploring non exchequer funding for delivery of AONB partnership objectives. However, the key aim has been to explore ways in which AONB partnerships can support social enterprise development, in order to help deliver AONB core objectives of “conserving and enhancing natural beauty” in protected landscapes.

The 8 social forestry pilot projects described in this report demonstrate a range of ways in which social enterprises can play a role in delivering AONB objectives. In addition, the project demonstrated the importance of providing specialist support, in areas such as legal structures, business planning, finance and land tenure.