This article was originally published in Knight Frank’s Rural Report. Read it here: https://www.knightfrank.co.uk/perspectives/publications/the-rural-report
When we founded Oxygen Conservation, our mission was ambitious yet simple: to Scale Conservation. We set out to prove that nature could be investable, that by valuing natural capital correctly, nature could pay to protect itself. In just four years, that idea has grown into a natural capital portfolio worth over £300 million, transforming 12 estates across 50,000 acres of the UK and helping to connect over 500,000 acres of space for nature.
Yet if data, capital and the land itself are the bricks of our model, brand and storytelling are the mortar. They bind everything together, ensuring our story isn’t just told, but heard, believed, and acted upon.
Reimagining the Business of Nature
At Oxygen Conservation, we are building something entirely new: a natural capital portfolio delivering both environmental restoration and strong financial returns.
Our foundation is land. From carbon credits verified under the Woodland and Peatland Carbon Codes, to rewilding projects creating Biodiversity Net Gain units, to renewable energy and sustainable tourism, each estate provides tangible value and resilience while offering a canvas for landscape-scale conservation
This is conservation at Scale, guided by the belief that profit and purpose aren’t opposites but increasingly correlated.
Building Oxygen Conservation’s Brand
From the outset, we knew that to change the way people think about nature, we couldn’t rely on the same old language and image of conservation. Too often, the sector has been cloaked in clichés with green logos or bureaucratic jargon, leaving people disengaged.
Our brand is deliberately different; clean, minimal, and modern. It doesn’t distract from nature but instead frames it. World-class photography showcases the beauty of the landscapes. The writing in our articles and books is designed to be honest and ambitious. Our podcasts and vlogs open the door to conversation, rather than closing it.
The Shoot Room Sessions podcast was born from a desire to share big, often difficult conversations authentically, bringing together voices focused on environment, impact, and adventure. We’ve now released over 120 episodes, partnering with our incredible sponsors, Knight Frank, to tell the stories of people changing what it means to be in conservation and in business.
People Connect with People: The Role of Personal Brand
We know people connect with people. If we want to inspire the next generation of conservationists, we have to show them the individuals already changing the world. That’s why we write so consistently about our team, a group of extraordinary, driven, and completely unreasonable (in the best possible way) people who make Oxygen Conservation what it is.
We’ve built a high-performance culture, made up of people committed to Scaling Conservation in bold new ways. By telling their stories, we demonstrate that this new model of conservation isn’t an abstract idea, but a lived reality powered by incredibly talented people.
Through podcasts, our first book, Scaling Conservation, and now the recently piloted Inside Oxygen Vlogs, I’ve tried to show that being an environmentalist and a business leader are inseparable in the natural capital economy. Personal brand for me is about sharing honestly and inviting people into the conversation. Combined with the voices of our team, it creates a brand rooted in authenticity, transparency, and quality.
How Storytelling Scales Conservation
So, how does this investment in branding and storytelling help us to Scale Conservation?
First, it secures investment. Investors don’t just study spreadsheets; they back belief. Our brand demonstrates ambition, integrity, and professionalism giving confidence that Oxygen Conservation is both commercially credible and mission-driven.
Second, it inspires and motivates. Great stories move people to act. Whether it’s young people seeking purposeful careers, our communities (local and digital), or businesses looking for impactful partners, our storytelling makes conservation exciting and urgent.
Finally, it builds the sector. By shaping the conversation around natural capital, we’re helping to establish the market itself. Every podcast, post, and press piece challenges the outdated notion of conservation as philanthropy, proving it is the next great asset class.
At Oxygen Conservation, branding multiplies our impact, extends our reach, and accelerates our mission to make nature investable. For others, whether you’re rewilding or running a rural enterprise, the way you present your work determines who believes in it, who funds it, and how far it can go.