Last weekend, some of the DRK team visited our rewilding land project, Hope Meadow, nestled in the Shropshire Hills, to check how our saplings are getting on for the first time since planting in November 2024. Now, halfway through the year, we’re thrilled to share that Hope Meadow is beginning to flourish, and nature is rewarding our efforts with clear signs of return.
Addressing Concerns Transparently
We recognise the growing public scrutiny around corporate greenwashing, and rightly so – environmental action should be meaningful and authentic. Hope Meadow is not a carbon offset gimmick or a box-ticking exercise; it’s a genuine, long-term ecological restoration project rooted in transparency and purpose. The truth of the matter is that the farmer who sold us a small parcel of his land had wanted to rewild those areas, but did not want to take on those costs or his resources to do so. We signed a contract that stated our purpose and set targets for the minimum number of trees we needed to plant. Small Woodland Owners Group advised us of the indigenous species that are considered perfect to plant. DRK’s efforts have allowed the farmer to concentrate on yielding crops from the area of his land that is more suitable for sustained growth. The project is a win-win.
A Vision Taking Root
Hope Meadow is part of DRK Lighting’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility. Our rewilding project’s long-term goal is to restore biodiversity, support natural carbon drawdown, and enhance the local ecology. By allowing nature to take the lead, through tree planting, habitat restoration, and minimal intervention, we’re helping to create a thriving, resilient landscape. Alongside Hope Meadow, DRK continues to reduce our operational footprint through energy-efficient product design, responsible sourcing, and waste reduction across our processes.
‘Almas’ – Tree No. 1
What’s Happening at Hope Meadow?
Exciting early signs of ecosystem recovery are already emerging at Hope Meadow. We’re beginning to see the first fruits develop on a range of carefully selected native trees, including Oak, Beech, Maple, Pussy Willow, Goat Willow (Salix caprea), and fruiting varieties such as Cox’s Orange Pippin, Bramley, and Cobra apple trees. These first wild fruits mark an encouraging step forward in our long-term rewilding vision. Over eight native plant species have successfully established themselves across the meadow, helping to lay the groundwork for a resilient and biodiverse ecosystem. With hundreds of native trees now planted, the landscape is slowly but surely transforming.
Why Hope Meadow Matters
Rewilding plays a vital role in addressing some of the most pressing environmental challenges we face today, from biodiversity loss to soil degradation and the global carbon imbalance. Studies show that rewilding can increase biodiversity by 30–50% within just 5 to 10 years (Rewilding Europe, UK National Rewilding Network), while native shrubs and trees often begin sequestering carbon within as little as 1 to 3 years, depending on species and soil conditions. Once established, 2.4 acres of rewilded land can absorb an estimated 3–5 tonnes of CO2 annually. At over 4 acres, we can expect our meadow to tackle between 6-10 tonnes per year. While Hope Meadow may be small in scale, it is mighty in intention.
Challenges & The Natural Timeline
We understand that true ecological recovery doesn’t happen overnight. Our rewilding initiative is rooted in the understanding that nature follows its own timeline. Wildflower meadows, for instance, typically take two to three years to establish fully, while the shrubs and trees we’ve planted may require three to five years before providing noticeable ecological benefits. Carbon drawdown is another gradual process; it starts slowly but builds momentum as the ecosystem matures. We’re in it for the long haul; Hope Meadow is not a quick fix, but a long-term investment in biodiversity and climate resilience.
Part of our vision is to restore a habitat where local wildlife can thrive, ideally enjoying the fruits of the land without compromising the trees themselves. To support this vision sustainably, we’ve hired a local steward to monitor the site more frequently than we can, helping us stay connected to the land while reducing the carbon footprint of our travel.
At DRK Lighting, our mission is to light the future, and Hope Meadow is one small piece of that commitment. Our other sustainability initiatives include working with Dons Local Action Group to help those in need in Merton, Wandsworth, and Kingston. We also provide work experience placements to South Thames College electrical students, for which we were awarded as a gold-standard work opportunity provider and won the ‘New Employer Engagement Award’ last year for taking on 16 students over the year. On the theme of reducing our carbon footprint, our Chessington factory’s roof is covered in solar panels to power as much of our production on renewable energy as we can, and we promote remanufacturing and repurposed lighting as much as we can as sustainable alternatives to replacement lighting. We have a strict reuse policy, with recycling being the last resort; this also applies to our packaging, and we often deliver our products in pre-used packaging. CAT-A to CAT-B fit-outs cause a lot of waste in our industry, so we offer a Lighting as a Service lighting rental scheme where the CAT-A lighting is reused instead of being discarded, as is standard industry practice. We have big plans for many future initiatives, and in the meantime, we are always on the lookout for new ways to improve and go above and beyond what any legislation requires.
Head over to our Remanufacturing page to find out more about sustainable lighting: https://drklighting.co.uk/remanufacture/
