$1.2B Fund to Plant Trees Across 660,000 Acres in Latin America

The largest reforestation fund in history just closed with a mission to heal some of South America's most threatened landscapes.

BTG Pactual Timberland Investment Group secured $1.24 billion from global investors to restore 660,000 acres across Latin America. The project combines conservation, ecosystem restoration, and sustainable forestry to prove that nature-based solutions can work at scale while delivering financial returns.

The fund is already making progress. Nearly 29 million trees now grow across more than 64,000 acres that were previously degraded. Over 53,000 acres are protected under conservation agreements, while restoration work spans another 50,000 acres.

Half of the total land targeted will become conserved or restored native ecosystems. The other half will support sustainably managed commercial forests that generate revenue while storing carbon.

Much of the focus centers on Brazil's Cerrado, one of Earth's most biodiverse regions. More than half of its original vegetation has disappeared over recent decades, threatening countless species and vital water systems. This project aims to reverse that trend.

The restoration plans will reconnect more than 100,000 acres of fragmented habitats. These wildlife corridors will help species move safely between protected areas while strengthening water systems that rural communities depend on.

Conservation International serves as the project's Impact Adviser, ensuring environmental goals stay on track. "Few ecosystems are more threatened than the Brazilian Cerrado," said Deborah Spalding, the organization's Global Head of Nature Finance. "This restoration effort represents the kind of forward-thinking approach that conservation needs."

The fund generates revenue through multiple channels: sustainable timber, land appreciation, and carbon removal credits. In 2026, its first project became the world's first to issue credits under Verra's VM0047 methodology, setting a new standard for quality in voluntary carbon markets.

The Ripple Effect

Beyond environmental wins, the project creates rural employment opportunities in regions that need them. Local communities gain jobs in planting, forest management, and conservation work that will continue for decades.

The fund proves that institutional investors see nature-based climate solutions as financially viable. NGS Super Chief Investment Officer Ben Squires noted that "high quality natural capital projects can strengthen long term member outcomes while delivering measurable real-world benefits."

This model could reshape how the world approaches reforestation. By linking biodiversity recovery, carbon removal, and rural development to financial returns, it shows that healing ecosystems doesn't require choosing between profit and planet.

Nearly three dozen million trees growing where degraded land once stood shows what's possible when vision meets investment at the scale nature needs.