The Centre of Excellence Launch

Jake Corin
Soil Analysis & Ecological Consultant
Jake has multidisciplinary approach towards regenerative agriculture which both excites and inspires towards a more climate resilient and ecologically aligned future. He is a certified laboratory technician with Dr Elaine Ingham’s Soil Food Web Organization, and has a range of experience on ecological projects, with training in dryland restoration techniques to reverse the desertification process occurring in many parts of the world. This has provided him with an essential keyset of skills to build resilience into UK agricultural systems, including the use of soil microscopy to guide soil regeneration.

Michael Cutler, Eden Project
Michael is a creative professional with a background in computing and electronics for the Ministry of Defense. Driven by a passion for nature, he shifted his focus to sustainable plant science and soil ecosystems. For the past five years, he has been leading trials at Eden Project’s Growing Point Nursery to reduce chemical feed use in plant production. Inspired by Korean Natural Farming, Michael explores plant-based nutrient solutions, utilizing natural ecosystems from local woodlands and pasturelands. His goal is to create highly targeted, sustainable solutions for plant nutrition, using sap analysis to address specific nutrient needs while promoting eco-friendly practices.

Conor Kendrew, Cornwall Wildlife Trust
Farm and Woodland Advisor
Cornwall Wildlife Trust have been working with the Soil Association, University of Bristol and local dairy farmers to research the production implications in moving from a rye based to herbal ley grazing platform. In working with the Eden Project University Centre Labs, we have been able to accurately determine the dry matter of swards at a local level and without the issues of transportation of fresh material.

Local high-quality research is one of the bottlenecks we must collectively cross in order to accelerate the transition to more regenerative and well utilised land management, in time we hope to work with this excellent new facility to help farmers make well informed agro-ecological management decisions.

Conor Kendrew is a farmer and adviser in Cornwall, working for Cornwall Wildlife Trust, the Soil Association and in partnership with organisations like sustainable food Cornwall. As a director of the cooperative Aral Growers CIC Conor is passionate about positive change in the local food system and providing opportunities for new entrants to farming.

Stephanie Knights MSc., BSc.
Projects Manager, National Wildflower Centre, Eden Project
Stephanie is a passionate Environmentalist. She has 20yrs experience in Ecology; project managing habitat restoration and creation, nature-based solutions, river restoration and fish passage, ecology and biological monitoring projects.
Stephanie joined the Eden Project in June 2021 as Projects Manager for the National Wildflower Centre (NWC).

Stephanie manages the development and delivery of NWC projects from inception to implementation, and is responsible for the operational management of land in Cornwall for the supply of local provenance wildflower seed. She also undertakes habitat surveys for BNG projects and advises on habitat restoration and enhancement opportunities.

Stephanie will be talking about the work of the National Wildflower Centre in Cornwall and the importance of baselining sites to inform decisions on habitat creation and enhancement.

Located at the Eden Project, this new Centre of Excellence in Land-Based Research and Knowledge Transfer is a collaborative initiative between The Cornwall College Group and the Eden Project. The laboratories are dedicated to advancing sustainable land and soil management practices, enabling the agricultural and horticultural community to thrive in an ever-changing environmental landscape.

The development of the Centre has been made possible thanks to a £574,820 investment from the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund. Housed within Eden’s geothermally-heated nursery, the centre offers cutting-edge resources for the analysis of soils, plants, and pathogens. With these capabilities, the Centre aims to equip local businesses with the tools and knowledge they need to boost productivity and innovation while safeguarding the environment.

The Centre will offer valuable insights into regenerative practices, focusing on key areas such as soil health, carbon sequestration, water retention, and biodiversity conservation, and will play a vital role in ensuring businesses can meet new environmental standards and access future funding opportunities. By fostering innovation and collaboration across land-based industries, this new hub aims to enhance the resilience of Cornwall’s rural sector, ensuring long-term environmental and economic sustainability