XPRIZEOne of 6 finalist teams in the $10M Rainforest XPRIZE · see the project
NATURAL STATEGlobal solutionsfrom Africa
About NATURAL STATE

Restoring the
natural world.

Small, focused and high impact: helping build the Nature Economy with the skills, technology and systems to attract major investment in nature and local communities.

About us
At the base of Mt KenyaThe NATURAL STATE Research Centre

The most advanced carbon lab in Northern Kenya.

Visit the centre
Home/Impact

Measured. Then multiplied.

Three interconnected pillars move projects from ambition to delivery: the Centre for the Nature Economy, Research & Monitoring, and Nature Finance.

Achievements to date

Built, measured, piloted.

0Carbon Pool plots implemented
0GEM plots implemented
0bird calls with AI models from acoustic sensors
0vertebrates with AI models from camera traps
0km² LiDAR scan for baselines and carbon models
0staff in our international team
0raised for rangers during the COVID crisis
0XPRIZE finalist teams, and we are one
Nature finance

Five new mechanisms. Three already piloted.

The 5-year target is five new financial mechanisms that reward verified outcomes for nature and people.

Financial mechanisms · 5-year target
Integrated carbon & biodiversity creditPiloted
Rewilding credit (Rewilding Units)Piloted
Custodian creditPiloted
Regenerative agriculture & biodiversity creditsIn development
Conservation impact grantsIn development
3 of 5 pilotedIntegrated, rewilding and custodian credits are already in pilot.
Overheads capped at 15%Transparent finances: overheads are never more than 15%.
Targets

Where we are headed.

From what is built today to the 10-year ambition.

TodayBuilt, measured, piloted
5 yearsSystems, mechanisms and 1,000+ graduates
10 years$10B of new funding and 20,000+ leaders
Africa

Monitoring in place

Technology and systems in place in Africa to rapidly, robustly and cost-effectively measure trends in biodiversity, carbon and benefits to communities.

0

New financial mechanisms

Integrated, custodian and rewilding credits, regenerative agriculture credits and conservation impact grants.

0+

Graduates

The Centre for the Nature Economy and the Indigenous Knowledge & Solutions Hub fully functional.

Marine

Marine Research Centre

A NATURAL STATE Marine Research Centre initiated, to revolutionise impact monitoring in the marine world.

Tropics

Land and sea monitoring

Terrestrial and marine impact monitoring systems available to robustly and cost-effectively measure trends in biodiversity, carbon and social impact across the tropics and subtropics.

$0B

New funding

Channelled into biodiversity, carbon and local communities through new financial mechanisms.

0+

Leaders supported

With learning institutions across the tropics and subtropics.

Where we work

Projects and partners on the globe.

Loading the globe…
Home baseResearch Centre & Nanyuki hub, at the base of Mt Kenya
Drag to spin

Where NATURAL STATE projects are under way. Tap one to fly the globe there.

The Research Centre is also the launchpad for a marine expansion through coastal partnerships.

Our science and training network, stop by stop. Press play to tour it.

In detail

What we have delivered.

Built the NATURAL STATE Research Centre
Built the Carbon and Biodiversity Lab
Opened our Nanyuki office
Built an international team of 60 staff
Secured land for the Centre for the Nature Economy and the Indigenous and Community Knowledge Restoration and Climate Resilience Centre
Formed our US-based 501(c)(3) and two Kenyan entities
Developed all our policies and procedures
Pilot of a carbon and biodiversity integrated credit
Pilot of a rewilding credit
Pilot of a custodian credit
Joint Natural State/Oxford postdoctoral researcher on financial mechanisms for nature
Implementation collaborations with LCA, Borona, Lewa, Lolldaiga, ORKCA, WildCRU, Lion Landscapes and the WildCAT Trust
Contributor to the Biodiversity Credit Alliance
Developed the curriculum for two courses
Initiated phase one of the Centre build
Collaborations with WRTI, ALU, AgWild, the University of Oxford and Yale University
Our hubs & services

Research, training and delivery, linked.

Hub 01

NATURAL STATE Research Centre

The core hub for research and monitoring innovation and home to our Carbon, Water and Biodiversity Lab. Also the launchpad for our marine expansion.

Hub 02

Centre for the Nature Economy

Skills, technology and finance pathways to scale restoration, with dedicated spaces where Indigenous and local knowledge drives learning and innovation.

Hub 03

Operations Hub, Nanyuki

The office that coordinates and supports day-to-day work, from which teams plan, manage and execute activities across programmes and field sites.

Hub 04

Natural State Services

Design advice for biodiversity, carbon and ecosystem credits or bonds, and robust, cost-effective verification of biodiversity, carbon, water and human wellbeing outcomes.

The challenges are immense. Success is possible together.

NATURAL STATE is highly collaborative and committed to working with individuals and organisations who aspire to restore the natural world.

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