$450K Awarded for 2025 Ecological Restoration Grants in Hudson Valley

Partners for Climate Action (PCA) has awarded $450,000 in ecological restoration grants to 23 organizations across six New York counties. Grants ranged from $2,500 to $50,000, with 56% allocated to disadvantaged communities, supporting projects focused on native pollinators and forest health. Funded efforts include reforestation, afforestation, and deer exclusion measures, with a strong emphasis on community engagement and knowledge sharing. PCA continues fundraising to expand future restoration efforts.

What do you think is the most urgent ecological restoration priority—pollinators, forests, or something else?

👉👉 Read the full list from Partners for Climate Action

Robert C Bruce Charitable Trust: New Zealand Afforestation Grants Open Next Month

The Robert C Bruce Charitable Trust in New Zealand is offering grants for afforestation projects on public land. Organizations can apply for project grants, while individuals can seek research grants related to forestry. Applications open on February 24, 2025, and may close early if enough strong proposals are received.  

What kind of afforestation initiatives will be launched?

👉👉 Read more from Perpetual Guardian

Silvania’s $1.5B “Race to Belém” Aims to Protect the Amazon Ahead of COP30  

Silvania, backed by Swiss trading house Mercuria, has launched a $1.5 billion initiative to protect the Amazon rainforest. Partnering with Conservation International and The Nature Conservancy, the "Race to Belém" project will work with Brazilian states, farmers, and local communities to generate carbon credits tied to rainforest preservation.

With record-high global temperatures pushing the Amazon toward a tipping point, Silvania's upfront capital investment of up to $100 million per ton of carbon credits aims to reverse deforestation trends before COP30.  Very ambitious stuff!

Do large-scale investments like this signal real progress in conservation?

👉👉 Read more from Carbon Herald

Manulife Raises $480M for Forest Climate Fund, Targeting 6M Tons of CO₂ Sequestration  

Manulife Investment Management has secured $480 million for its Forest Climate Fund, which focuses on sustainably managed forests as a climate change solution. The fund prioritizes carbon sequestration over timber production and aims to remove over 6 million tons of CO₂ through afforestation, reforestation, and long-term forest management. With nearly 50% of the fund already deployed across 150,000 acres, Manulife continues expanding its investment pipeline for 2025.  

Do carbon-focused forest investments strike the right balance between environmental and financial goals?

👉👉 Read more from ESG Today

Microsoft’s $200M Reforestation Deal with Re.green: 3.5M Carbon Credits Over 25 Years  

Microsoft has signed a 25-year agreement with Brazilian startup Re.green to purchase 3.5 million carbon credits, potentially worth $200 million. The deal will fund the restoration of 16,000 hectares of degraded land in Brazil, planting 10.7 million native seedlings. While Microsoft continues to expand its carbon removal efforts, critics accuse the company of greenwashing due to its ties with fossil fuel firms.  

Are corporate carbon credit programs a meaningful step toward sustainability?

👉👉 Read more from Data Center Dynamics