NatureVest Celebrates a Decade of Impact

Associated Press

2 days ago

For more than a decade, NatureVest, The Nature Conservancy's (TNC) in-house impact investing and sustainable finance team, has been harnessing the power of private capital to drive conservation at scale. Thanks to the support of our colleagues and collaborators, our impact investment portfolio demonstrates how investing in nature is smart business strategy, pairing meaningful returns with measurable impacts.
As we mark the 10th anniversary of NatureVest with this 2024 Impact Report, I am filled with immense pride and gratitude. In our early years, we embarked on pioneering projects like Livestock to Markets, to improve herding practices and land management, and the Olympic Peninsula Acquisition Project for sustainable forest management and restoration. These early projects helped lay the foundation for our ambitious vision. Now, a decade later, our portfolio has grown to represent USD 3.5 billion in committed capital, with projects spanning four continents and covering a variety of asset types. This remarkable progress highlights the unwavering commitment of our team, partners, investors, and collaborators. Reflecting on how far we have come, I extend my heartfelt thanks to all who have been an integral part of this journey.
What's Inside the Report?
New Deals: The report highlights TNC's latest impact investment projects, including the Blue Revolution Fund and Bahamas Nature Bonds. These initiatives illustrate how collaboration among partners and investors creates new opportunities for conservation funding and impact.
Conservation Updates: We explore the latest developments across the Cumberland Forest Project, the Sustainable Water Impact Fund, the Africa Conservation and Communities Tourism Fund, and our BTG Pactual Timberland Investment Group (TIG) and TNC Collaboration. This year, our updates focus on how conservation efforts can diversify revenue streams while achieving environmental and social outcomes.
Impact Investing Interview: The interview titled 'Built to Last: Building Impact into Investment Structures' features Glen Jeffries, NatureVest's managing director of impact investments. He describes how NatureVest integrates impact into a project's structure to ensure outcomes for nature. Here, readers can learn about the three Ps as well as answers to questions like: How do you balance returns with impact objectives when structuring a deal?
Outcomes: We explore each project's impact targets and realized impact to date. Be sure to check out the Appendices to see the results of our collective work. Across our growing portfolio, we are excited to report significant wins for nature and people.
We express our deepest thanks to our colleagues across TNC, as well as the partners and investors who make these transformative transactions and their positive outcomes possible. We also extend our gratitude to all our readers for your continued support and interest in our mission.
By Catherine Burns, Interim Managing Director, NatureVest
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