Renowned throughout the world, The Eden Project, with its iconic geodesic biomes, its public stages and delightful gardens full of science and art, showcases our interconnection with nature and demonstrates how imagination and ingenuity can transform ugliness into beauty, regenerating landscapes and livelihoods.
It has welcomed many millions of visitors since it opened in 2001 and has had a transformative social and economic impact on Cornwall. In addition to employing a large core and seasonal workforce, Eden’s presence has created a thriving local ecosystem of suppliers and tourist accommodation and other local services.
The Cornwall site has become a magnet for high-profile events – none more so than the meeting of the G7 leaders and HM The Queen in 2021. It has recently welcomed the Anthropy conference, whose purpose is to inspire a better Britain by acting as a unique national convenor. In 2023 this drew over 1,600 leaders from business, political and not-for-profit sectors to spend three transformative days together at Eden.
Meanwhile, the Eden team has developed a range of other activities which have built on, and added to, the success of the Cornwall site. These include a comprehensive educational offering, which takes advantage of the deep horticultural skills of the team, as well as their communication skills. Educational and research partners include the RHS, Cornwall College, and several Universities.
Eden’s Experience Design team is in demand around the world, consulting with local and national government agencies seeking to build their own compelling attractions based on the Eden philosophy. Live current international project locations include Qing Dao (China), Dubai, Costa Rica and Brazil.
Eden’s geothermal project transfers heat from 4km below the Earth’s surface to Eden's plant nursery. It hosts the National Wildflower Centre, which has already enabled the creation of many hectares of wildflowers around Britain; this underpins the National Wildflower Bank, which will provide biodiversity credits required by industry.
Eden’s flagship Communities activity, The Big Lunch, takes place annually in June and has more than nine million participants each year. It is credited with building social capital on a mass scale and creates an opportunity for Eden to drive a popular movement for positive change. In January 2023, the UK Government announced a Levelling Up grant of £50m to Lancaster City Council, to enable the creation of an Eden on the seafront at Morecambe. Planning permission has been granted and the team is well advanced in gathering pledges for matched funding, at which point the detailed design phase will start. Completion is currently scheduled for 2026 and the project is expected to have a huge positive social and economic impact on Morecambe and its surrounding area. Plans to build a third UK Eden, in Dundee in Scotland, are also well advanced.
Governance and leadership
Although there are many strands of activity, both in the UK and around the world, the organisation operates as “One Eden”. Any profit generated from its activities is reinvested back into the Eden Trust, which is a registered UK charity (number 1093070).
The governing body of the Eden Trust comprises the Chair and up to 12 Trustees. The Trust is chaired by Orna NiChionna.
The Eden Project is managed by an Enabling Leadership Team, which reports to the Chief Executive, who in turn reports to the Trustee board. A Science Advisory Panel and Eden Futures Advisory Council act as additional sources of support on specific topics to the Trustees, the CEO and the Enabling Leadership Team.
