Our Founder and Managing Director, Richard Clarke is a British-born zoologist and conservationist with a passion for nature, biodiversity and for the environment as a whole.

 

​Highland Carbon was launched in 2017 as an ethical business to pioneer the supply of conservation-grade UK carbon units.

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Richard was inspired to bring a landscape conservation framework to the UK carbon market.  How do we achieve this aim?  We carefully select where our projects are located - in spectacular, wild locations that are important to rare and endangered wildlife by:

 

• Enhancing and expanding existing protected areas.

• Creating corridors to join-up high-quality habitats. 

• Establishing conservation buffers to critical habitats. 

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What does our work look like in practice?  For example, we could connect an existing Nature Reserve with a mature, coniferous forest, by bridging the two with a new woodland project.

 

Our forest projects comprise a diverse array of species.  We actively reintroduce rare and lost tree species, such as aspen, to inspirational landscapes.  We also restore specific important habitats, such as peatlands, salt marshes, dry meadows, wet meadows, heath, river banks, wetland scrapes and more.

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At Highland Carbon, we are keen to ensure that nature restoration projects will complement other land uses.   That is why, for example, that our projects never displace crofters or farmers!   This is an important consideration for reputational risk management as rising carbon prices incentivise the unscrupulous to purchase estates and clear off the people.  The last thing we want is a repeat of the Highland Clearances of the 1800s.

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Moreover, we are passionate about achieving co-benefits for the local community in relation to water quality, flood mitigation, fire risk mitigation, drought mitigation, public access trails, educational opportunities, socio-economic impacts, wellbeing and mental health.

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Our projects are located in exceptional wild landscapes offering meaningful benefits for biodiversity and conservation.

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Simply put, Highland Carbon focuses on the supply of UK climate projects with exceptional credentials.  This distinguishes us from those carbon brokers that have spun-off from the commodity trading and venture capital arenas, with the latter perhaps being more focused on margins than on quality outcomes.  Highland Carbon also curates impactful international projects with recognised verification and validation providers. 

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Highland Carbon has won the award for the ‘Best UK Carbon Credit Supplier’ in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 – each year we have applied.  We have also won the 2024 award for 'Natural Landscape Restoration Expertise'.  We were lauded by the British Chambers of Commerce for our ‘inspirational approach to innovative green solutions’ during the lead up to the 2023 COP.

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HIghland Carbon won the 'Green Business Award with Doncaster Chamber in 2023, having been a finalist a few times.  We are currently shortlisted for the 'Environmental Impact Award' with Sheffield Chamber of Commerce.

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In the context of Highland Carbon, Richard has been interviewed by various media outlets such as The BBC, Sky News, The Scotsman newspaper, Carbon Pulse magazine and Business Network magazine.  ​​​​He has delivered podcasts to the Global List in New York City, NQA Global Certification Body in Scotland, the De-Carbonisation Training Centre, Wester Ross Biosphere and the Aberdeen Science Museum.

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Richard has given talks to various organisations and forums such as the UK Sustainability Summit, the UK Association of Sustainability Professionals, Hull Eco Fest, Yorkshire Sustainability Festival and a virtual seminar allied to the United Nations COP26 in Glasgow.

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Richard was educated at Michigan State University in the United States.  As an undergraduate, he read Zoology with emphasis upon forestry, ecology, conservation, wildlife management, marine biology, fisheries management and animal behavior. ​​​ ​

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Richard's post graduate degree was also in Zoology within the discipline of animal behaviour and with a specialisation in Neuroscience.

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Richard's work experience over 35 years includes:

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• Managing Director

       Highland Carbon, Scotland, UK

• Chief Executive

       South Yorkshire Community Foundation, UK

• Director of Development and Commercial Revenue

       Bransby Horse Sanctuary, Lincoln, UK

• Corporate Development Manager

       The Woodland Trust, Nr London, UK

• Regional Director of Development

       Environmental Defense Fund, NYC, USA​

• Executive Director of Development, Communications and PR

       North Carolina State University, USA

• Assistant Director of Development

       The Nature Conservancy, Washington DC, USA

• Assistant Director of Development

       Michigan State University, USA
 

​​​​​​​​Richard's voluntary experience includes:

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• Board Member, The Sleep Charity, UK

• Board Member, Mind Wellbeing CIC, UK

• Trustee, Tickhill Community Connections, UK

• Board Member, Urban Options, USA

• Sustainability Award Advisor, The King's Lord Lieutenancy, UK

• Fundraising Advisor, Chester Zoo, UK

• Volunteer, Doncaster Business for the Community, UK

• Mentor, Fuel Change, Scotland, UK

• Advisor, Doncaster Arts (DARTs), UK​​​

• Co-Founder, Project Recycle, Michigan State University, USA

• Co-Founder, Earth Day Festival, Michigan State University, USA