The Nature Trust Launches Funding Round in a Bid to Restore 1% of Ireland’s Native Woodlands

The Nature Trust, the not-for-profit joint venture co-founded by Coillte and serial entrepreneur John Beckett, announced today that it has opened a third round of funding aimed at raising €7 million to create new native woodlands across Ireland. The previous two funding rounds were oversubscribed and this third fundraising round is being managed by Deloitte Corporate Finance.

The award winning “Woodland Nature Credit’ allows corporates to invest in native woodland creation at scale across Ireland. The Nature Trust manages these new native woodlands on an open-access basis on behalf of funders and delivers carbon, biodiversity and human well-being benefits. These new native woodlands are managed by The Nature Trust in perpetuity for people, climate and nature.

Speaking on the announcement John Beckett, Co-founder and Chairperson of The Nature Trust stated, “We are immensely grateful for the support of our corporate partners so far and are delighted to begin another round of fundraising. The demand we’ve witnessed from large corporations for our offerings underscores the urgent appetite to address environmental challenges at a scale that matters.

 “Together, we’re not just working towards a more sustainable future; we’re building a lasting legacy that our great grandchildren can benefit from and be proud of playing a pioneering role in driving the necessary change to combat climate change. We invite forward-thinking corporations who aspire to be more sustainable to join us in this vital endeavour by participating in this round of funding.”

Across Europe, nations typically maintain an average forest cover of around 35%, whereas in Ireland, the figure stands at just 11%, one of the continent’s lowest, with just under 2% being native woodland. Investment in Woodland Nature Credits supports the establishment of non-commercial native woodlands with free public access.

Dr. Ciarán Fallon, Managing Director at The Nature Trust added: “Ireland has one of the best climates in the world for growing trees and yet we have very low levels of forest cover. New forests sequester carbon from the atmosphere and store it in trees and forest soils. Native woodlands are particularly important because of the biodiversity that they support. We manage these forests on an open-access basis to provide resources for local communities for recreation and engagement with nature”.

Co-Founded in 2021 by John Beckett, co-founder and CEO of ChannelSight, and the Chairperson of Coillte, the organisation is committed to afforesting 1% (70,000 ha) of Ireland. This initiative aims to create valuable wildlife habitats, facilitate carbon sequestration, and provide a valuable amenity for communities. In 2022, The Nature Trust was awarded the Debt Capital Markets Environmental Securitisation Deal of the Year for an issuance of Woodland Nature Credits that would deliver 200 ha of new native woodland.

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