New York, NY – 17 April 2025 – BTG Pactual Timberland Investment Group (BTG Pactual TIG) and Conservation International have announced a significant milestone in their Latin American reforestation strategy: restoration is now underway on more than 10,000 hectares of native and biodiverse Cerrado vegetation in Brazil. According to data recorded by the Brazilian Restoration and Reforestation Observatory, this achievement increases the total area of restoration across the Cerrado region – where native vegetation is now growing on previously deforested land – by approximately 50% (as of 16 April 2025).
The Latin American reforestation strategy focuses on the conservation, restoration and reforestation of degraded landscapes in important regions of Latin America, including Brazil’s Cerrado biome – one of the world’s most biodiverse seasonally dry ecosystems. With approximately half of the Cerrado already converted to other uses and deforestation continuing at high rates due to agricultural expansion, large-scale restoration efforts are essential for biodiversity conservation and climate resilience.
These 10,359 hectares of restoration is designed to generate nearly 40,000 hectares of connected habitat for local biodiversity – an area equivalent to 153 square miles, more than twice the size of Washington, DC. To date, more than 500 species have been identified across the strategy’s properties.
“This achievement highlights the power of combining commercial reforestation with nature restoration to create lasting, large-scale ecological benefits,” said Mark Wishnie, Chief Sustainability Officer at BTG Pactual TIG. “By restoring over 10,000 hectares of natural Cerrado, we are not only expanding critical biodiversity corridors, but also demonstrating a scalable model that can be replicated across Latin America and beyond. Our collaboration with Conservation International and academic institutions like the University of Viçosa ensures that our efforts are guided by science and deliver tangible climate and environmental impact.”
“The success of this initiative underscores the immense potential of partnerships between the private sector, conservation organizations and academic researchers to drive meaningful restoration at scale. By restoring natural ecosystems and increasing biodiversity in the Cerrado, a global biodiversity hotspot, we are demonstrating a replicable model that can contribute significantly to global reforestation and climate resilience efforts. Conservation International is proud to support BTG Pactual TIG in this transformative endeavor; by linking sustainable commercial reforestation with large-scale ecological restoration, this initiative serves as a leading model for ecological restoration and climate impact worldwide,” said Mauricio Bianco, Vice President of Conservation International Brazil.
The restored area includes what may be the largest restoration experiment ever conducted in the Cerrado. Last year, BTG Pactual TIG signed a long-term research agreement with the Federal University of Viçosa to study Cerrado restoration techniques. Under this agreement, BTG Pactual TIG established an 81-hectare field experiment – designed by BTG Pactual TIG, Conservation International and the Forest Restoration Laboratory at the University – to evaluate the effectiveness of different restoration methods. The findings of this research will not only inform the BTG Pactual TIG reforestation strategy, but also contribute valuable insights to support wider restoration efforts across the region.
“Our research partnership with BTG Pactual TIG is focused on identifying the most effective restoration techniques for the Cerrado biome. Through rigorous field experiments, we are evaluating how different approaches affect the recovery of vegetation, soil and biodiversity. This research will provide essential data to refine restoration strategies, ensuring that efforts are ecologically sound and scalable for wider application in degraded landscapes in the region,” said Prof. Sebastião Venâncio Martins, from the Forest Restoration Laboratory at the Federal University of Viçosa.
In partnership with Conservation International, which serves as an impact adviser, the broader strategy aims to protect and restore approximately 135,000 hectares of native forests and savannahs in deforested landscapes. In addition, millions of trees will be planted on sustainably managed commercial tree farms, independently certified to Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)™ standards, covering another approximately 135,000 hectares of previously deforested and degraded land. At full deployment, the strategy expects to employ 2,700 full-time employees, which represents a significant increase over cattle ranching.