USDA NRCS & Restore the Earth Foundation Launch $64M REForest Arkansas Program

Got flood-prone cropland in Arkansas? USDA NRCS and Restore the Earth Foundation (REF) just dropped a $64 million conservation opportunity for landowners. The REForest Arkansas program, open until May 31, 2025, aims to reforest 10,000 acres of marginal land using a 50/50 mix of private and public funding.

Unlike typical easement programs, this one drops income and ownership restrictions, offers upfront carbon payments, and sets landowners up for future ecological market profits. It’s a win for wildlife, water quality, and climate resilience—all while putting cash in landowners’ pockets.

Should the data for tree planting projects on private land be private information?

👉👉 Read more from Restore Earth

CIF Drops $143M for Nature in Brazil, Kenya & Zambezi—With Nearly $1B More in Play 🌍💰

The Climate Investment Funds (CIF) just greenlit $143 million for nature-based restoration across Brazil, Kenya, and the Zambezi River Basin, with a cool $1 billion in co-financing expected. Brazil’s $250M plan tackles Amazon and Cerrado deforestation, Kenya’s $35.66M initiative boosts wildlife and Indigenous communities, and the $60.35M Zambezi project strengthens carbon markets and ecosystem restoration across five countries. Bonus: $15M goes straight to Indigenous-led solutions. With jobs, tourism, and sustainability in focus, this is CIF’s boldest play yet for climate action.

How can private investment supercharge nature-based climate solutions?

👉👉 Read more on CIF.org

Brunei’s BND480M Development Push: Reforestation & Sustainability in Focus 🌱💰

Brunei is planting the seeds for a greener future, with BND480 million fueling national development under RKN12—and reforestation is a major highlight. Minister Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew outlined a five-year, BND4 billion plan covering housing, infrastructure, security, and sustainability, but the Reforestation Programme for Degraded Forest Areas stands out.

With a whole-of-nation approach, Brunei is doubling down on climate action, biodiversity, and carbon reduction, aligning with Brunei Vision 2035 and the Paris Agreement. Add in solar panel installations on 38 government buildings, and Brunei’s green transformation is well underway.

How can large-scale reforestation drive both economic and environmental benefits?

👉👉 Read more on Borneo Bulletin

Sustainable Bonds Surge, But Can They Deliver on Long-Term ESG Goals?

Sustainable finance hit $1.1 trillion in bond issuances in 2024, with projects like BTG Pactual’s Timberland Investment Group raising $500 million toward a $1 billion goal to restore 133,000 hectares of forest and develop sustainable tree farms. But with sustainable bonds shrinking as a share of the overall market, stricter EU regulations, and uncertainty in U.S. climate policy, long-term ESG commitments face mounting challenges. Will investors stay committed to projects like reforestation, or will shifting political and financial landscapes slow momentum?

What’s needed to keep ESG projects like large-scale reforestation funded for the long haul?

👉👉 Read more in Global Finance