The Brazilian Development Bank has approved up to $56 million in support of BTG Pactual Timberland Investment Group’s reforestation strategy, marking a significant public-private collaboration to restore degraded land across Brazil. The capital commitment, equivalent to R$300 million, is intended to help mobilize a broader $1 billion initiative that will protect, restore, and reforest roughly 270,000 hectares of landscapes in need of ecological recovery.
The strategy integrates environmental restoration with commercial forestry to generate carbon credits, support biodiversity, and create jobs in surrounding regions. Conservation International is serving as an impact adviser, helping guide outcomes in climate, community, and nature.
According to the release, the program intends to restore approximately 135,000 hectares of native forests and savannas while planting millions of trees across another 135,000 hectares of sustainably managed commercial tree farms. Restoration work has already begun across more than 12,000 hectares of Cerrado vegetation, with the effort expected to establish over 40,000 hectares of connected wildlife habitat. More than 500 species of flora and fauna have been identified across participating properties.
The bank’s investment builds on climate-related commitments announced by BNDES at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Belém, where Brazil spotlighted ecological restoration and sustainable land management. BTG Pactual TIG noted that the new capital will help scale institutional investment in reforestation, aligning with Brazil’s growing bioeconomy efforts.
The announcement also aligns with international investor focus on nature-based climate solutions and the development of long-term conservation infrastructure throughout Brazil’s critical biomes.
KEY QUOTES
“BNDES has been working on several fronts to support environmental and climate projects, contributing to the ecological transition, decarbonization, and environmental conservation. This investment reflects the Bank’s role as an agent for a just transition. Partnerships like this demonstrate how public resources can catalyze sustainable projects with private sector participation, benefiting both people and nature, with respect for environmental standards and the quality of public spending.”
Aloizio Mercadante, President, BNDES
“BNDES’s support is an important milestone for our reforestation strategy and a powerful example of how public private collaboration can catalyze institutional investment at large scales. This investment signals strong alignment with a vision of Brazil’s emerging bioeconomy, and of the potential for private investment to deliver benefits for people and nature alongside economic returns.”
Roberto Sallouti, CEO, BTG Pactual
“This partnership demonstrates what is possible when finance and conservation work together to address global challenges. By mobilizing investments for the restoration of Brazilian forests, this initiative generates measurable benefits for the climate and biodiversity, supports local communities, and is a scalable example of how nature based solutions can support people and planet in Brazil and beyond.”
Daniela Raik, Interim CEO, Conservation International
