AN ENTERPRISING Scottish company has completed more native woodland creation in the past year than has been created in the entirety of Northern Ireland and Wales combined – with its sights set on further growth.

Kirkcaldy-based Akre delivered more than 1100 hectares of new native woodland in 2023 - 2024 – outstripping the 430 hectares planted in Northern Ireland and the 640 hectares in Wales.

The milestone comes amid growing investment into natural capital projects to reduce atmospheric carbon and increase biodiversity, including Akre’s client, Aberdeen.

Akre is the UK’s only business that can look after every element of the process in-house, from growing the trees and project management right through to the registering, retiring and trading of carbon credits.

Its ultra-efficient tree nursery in Fife is the world’s first to be verified carbon-negative – and is able to produce more than seven million saplings per year.

Renwick Drysdale, Managing Director of Akre, said: “While carbon markets face scrutiny, the reality on the ground is clear: responsible corporate investment is making a massive impact.

“Our model proves that large-scale afforestation can be efficient, transparent, and highly effective.”

Akre’s rapid expansion aligns with major global commitments to reforestation. LEGO is reforesting one million acres in the Mississippi catchment, while Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Salesforce have pledged to finance 20 million tonnes of nature-based carbon removal by 2030. The Bezos Earth Fund is committing $22.8 million to restore 600,000 hectares of critical landscapes in Africa.

Renwick added: “Our work has already facilitated more than £21 million investment into Scottish natural capital projects, ensuring investment delivers genuine environmental and financial returns.

“Our approach is demonstrating that large-scale woodland creation can be cost-effective and scalable, while also providing real, measurable benefits to biodiversity and climate resilience.”

That £21 million figure includes £13.5 million in land acquisitions, £5 million in project development, and £2.5 million in infrastructure – laying the foundation for continued scale.

By integrating advanced technology with on-the-ground expertise, Akre has driven the cost of planting down by £750 per hectare compared to traditional methods while improving the quality of trees being planted.

The company’s climate-controlled tree production system, the first of its kind, allows it to grow high-quality trees faster while ensuring long-term resilience. With a patent-pending environmental control system, Akre is setting a new standard for efficiency in large-scale tree propagation.

The UK government has set a target of 30,000 hectares of new woodland per year with the Committee on Climate Change advising this should be 55,000 hectares, but recent figures show delivery at just 20,000 hectares. At a European level, just 0.7% of the three billion trees pledged between 2020 and 2030 have been planted.

Renwick said: “We are proving that Scotland can take the lead in tackling these challenges. This isn’t just about hitting targets – it’s about delivering real solutions that can scale.

“Our model ensures every tree planted is backed by rigorous planning, robust investment, and long-term impact.”

Akre’s work spans four key areas: tree production, propagation technology, project sourcing and design, and natural capital asset management. By offering a fully integrated model, the company is removing barriers to entry, and making reforestation projects more accessible for investors, landowners, charities and corporate stakeholders alike.

Beyond its external impact, Akre is leading by example. A Zero Waste Scotland audit confirmed that the company has reduced its own annual emissions by 77%, cutting from 342.8 CO2e to 92.56 CO2e through, battery storage, and solar PV panels before shifting to 100% renewable energy from the grid.

To offset residual emissions, Akre has retired 240 verified woodland carbon units, securing carbon-negative status. The company has committed to conducting annual audits and re-investing in offsets, where necessary, every three years to maintain and improve sustainability.

As Akre looks to scale its solution it is developing projects abroad. The most notable of which is the restoration of the land surrounding the headwaters of the Okavango delta in Southeastern Angola. The project area covers 600,000 hectares and has the potential to be one of the most significant woodland restoration projects in the world for biodiversity, carbon and the local community.

Renwick added: “The shift towards nature-based solutions is no longer just an ethical choice – it’s an economic imperative.

“The organisations that embrace efficiency, transparency, and impact will be the ones that succeed. Akre is proving that large-scale investment in nature can deliver both environmental and financial returns, and we’re only just getting started.”

Find out more about Akre here: https://www.akre.co.uk/