Oxygen Conservation and Burges Salmon seal £1 million partnership for 8,000 UK-based premium quality carbon credits

Leading natural capital asset manager Oxygen Conservation and independent UK law firm Burges Salmon have announced the signing of a landmark partnership valued at up to £1 million. As part of the agreement, Burges Salmon will be the exclusive buyer of up to 8,000 premium-quality, UK-based carbon credits which will be provided at £125 per tonne.

Funding one of the UK’s most ambitious nature restoration projects on the beautiful Leighon Estate in Dartmoor, Devon, the partnership demonstrates an important shift in how the voluntary carbon market operates - moving from transactional offsets to transformative investments that deliver measurable environmental and social benefits.

Importantly, the credits generated by this project go far beyond simply sequestering carbon, they are designed to deliver deep, lasting ecological value, connecting with a Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) scheme to form larger, more resilient ecosystems.

Rich Stockdale, CEO of Oxygen Conservation, comments: “Selling our first carbon credits to Burges Salmon marks not just a milestone for Oxygen Conservation, but a defining moment for natural capital markets. Burges Salmon has an established reputation in sustainability and their commitment to environmental integrity, their extensive due diligence, and their deep alignment with our values make them the perfect partner. In a space too often clouded by criticism, this deal is a clear signal; when carbon credits are underpinned by quality, transparency, and genuine impact, the market responds with conviction. This isn’t just a transaction - it’s proof that natural capital is no longer an emerging opportunity. It’s an investable, valuable, and scalable asset class whose time has come.”

Ross Fairley, Burges Salmon’s new Senior Partner and a long-time leader in environmental and clean energy law, adds: “This partnership is about helping to set a new standard for how organisations like ourselves engage with nature and lead with purpose. We have a long heritage of demonstrating that you can be a top law firm as well as a responsible business. We know clients and our people increasing value this approach. We’re proud to be working with Oxygen Conservation to build a model that others can learn from, replicate, and be inspired by.”

Leighton Estate, Dartmoor.

Setting the standard for premium quality credits, financing real climate and nature solutions

With credits registered under the UK Woodland Carbon Code and independently validated by the Soil Association, Oxygen Conservation uses innovative drone-based monitoring systems to ensure high transparency and buyer assurance.

The credits purchased by Burges Salmon will be generated through large-scale nature restoration and native woodland creation on the Leighon Estate. This 861-acre estate is owned by The Dixon Foundation, a UK registered charity, and managed by Oxygen Conservation. In furtherance of the charity's objectives the project forms part of a long-term effort to restore the ancient Atlantic rainforest, regenerating one of the UK’s most precious and biodiverse ecosystems through a blend of natural regeneration and targeted tree planting.

With an absolute carbon reduction target in place, approved by the Science-Based Targets Initiative, Burges Salmon recognises that carbon reduction is its number one priority. However, as the firm transitions to Net Zero it wants to address its residual emissions through a meaningful carbon partnership that will deliver significant benefit to environment and nature.

How The Carbon Partnership Works

Together, Burges Salmon and Oxygen Conservation are demonstrating what meaningful, values-led collaboration can achieve, setting a new standard for integrity, transparency, and lasting environmental impact in the carbon market. This includes:

• Scaling Conservation: Each credit funds nature restoration at scale, providing biodiversity benefits that go above and beyond carbon, creating a resilient and thriving ecosystem.
• Redefining Impact: This carbon credit investment directly supports the delivery of the UN Sustainable Development Goals by generating measurable environmental and social benefits - from improved water quality and rural employment to transformative educational opportunities for future environmental leaders.
• Refusing to Compromise on Quality: Each credit delivers lasting sustainability and genuine impact at each stage of the process. The price point reflects the true cost of delivering lasting environmental benefits.
• Real Transparency & Verification: The deal includes data-led reporting and monitoring, creating a replicable model underpinned by digital tracking, drone data, and verification under the UK Woodland Carbon Code, as well as the opportunity for Burges Salmon to touch and see their carbon and the biodiversity gains in person.
• Partnerships, not transactions: This is more than a single deal, it’s a long-term, purpose-driven partnership designed to achieve shared goals around nature recovery and social impact. Burges Salmon will engage directly with the project through estate access, volunteering, and education initiatives. This enables the firm and its people to build a meaningful, hands-on connection with the land they’re helping to restore.