Amazon Gets 15M New Trees as Reforestation Fund Grows

Nearly 15 million native trees are now growing in the Brazilian Amazon, thanks to a company proving that restoring rainforest can be good business.

Mombak, a carbon removal company, has completed its first major reforestation fund and is now raising $150 million for round two. The company has already converted 15 degraded Amazon farms into thriving forests, planting native species that pull carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

The success is attracting serious attention from corporate giants. Salesforce just signed a multiyear agreement to purchase carbon removal credits from Mombak's projects. The software company joins Google, Microsoft, and McLaren Racing in supporting the reforestation work.

These aren't just feel-good purchases. The credits represent real carbon removal, verified tons of CO2 taken out of the atmosphere through tree planting and forest restoration. Unlike traditional carbon offsets that prevent future emissions, these credits reflect actual removal of greenhouse gases.

Brazil's government is backing the expansion too. The state development bank is providing a $38.88 million credit line through the country's Climate Fund. Combined with private investment, that gives Mombak multiple funding sources to scale up operations.

CEO Gabriel Silva says the company is only launching a second fund because they proved the model works. "There is a business, there is an industry and there is a market for this product," he told Reuters.

The buyer pool is widening beyond tech companies. Banks are now seeing interest from oil, mining, and steel companies looking to address their emissions. Better planting techniques and productivity gains are bringing costs down, making the credits accessible to more industries.

The Ripple Effect

What started as an experiment five years ago has become a blueprint for restoration at scale. Mombak's first fund raised $120 million from major investors including AXA, CPP Investments, and Bain Capital.

The company issued its first batch of carbon removal credits earlier this year. By the end of 2026, they expect to issue about 80,000 metric tons worth, a substantial increase that reflects their growing forest network.

Each new corporate agreement provides more certainty for future projects. When companies like Salesforce commit to multiyear purchases, it gives investors confidence that future restoration projects will have buyers. That financial stability helps unlock more funding for more trees.

Brazil's socio-environmental banking director Tereza Campello notes that even tech companies are reassessing their climate strategies as AI and data centers consume more energy. Meanwhile, traditionally emissions-heavy industries are finally stepping up with increased appetite for carbon credits.

The second fund will finance additional restoration across the Brazilian Amazon, expanding the network of farms being converted back to native forest. With nearly 15 million trees already planted and funding secured for millions more, the Amazon is slowly recovering one seedling at a time.