Terraformation Scales a Locally-Led, Native Reforestation Model as Nature Finance Comes of Age
KAILUA-KONA, Hawaiʻi, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- In 2025, record temperatures and a rise in climate-driven disasters made clear that the climate crisis is accelerating faster than many solutions can scale. Biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation are compounding these risks, particularly in developing regions where forest loss is already increasing disaster exposure, undermining livelihoods, and driving long-term instability.
Native, locally-led reforestation has emerged as one of the few solutions capable of delivering immediate benefits to these communities while also supporting long-term climate stabilization.
To help turn this nascent climate solution into a transformative global movement, Terraformation spent the year scaling a model designed to restore biodiversity, create local economic opportunity, and reduce climate risk, while building the infrastructure needed to bring high-integrity reforestation carbon credits to market.
An Exemplar for Ecosystem Restoration
In 2025, Terraformation worked with restoration partners across Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia to more than double its active restoration footprint:
- 2,155 hectares restored, over 2x year-over-year growth
- 5.4 million native trees planted, up from 2.3 million in 2024
- 447 native species restored across active projects
By year's end, two Terraformation-supported projects had entered validation under Verra's carbon standards, marking a key milestone toward issuing high-integrity, nature-based carbon credits.
"The world doesn't need another promise about trees," said Yishan Wong, Founder and CEO of Terraformation. "It needs proof that reforestation can be done right, at scale, and under real scrutiny. We're building that model in the open so others can follow it. If we do that well, a global movement can scale behind it."
Community-First by Design
Every Terraformation project is structured to deliver long-term benefits for local communities, recognizing that durable forests depend on durable livelihoods.
In 2025, the company advanced its Iroko project in Cameroon, applying a payment-for-ecosystem-services model that links forest restoration to income, local governance participation, and economic resilience. This approach aligns ecological outcomes with long-term community stewardship.
"Forests persist when communities are full partners in their success," said Jad Daley, President of Terraformation. "Community-first design isn't a nice-to-have. It's how you reduce risk and grow forests that last."
Capacity Is the Constraint
As demand for high-quality nature-based credits grows, capacity has emerged as the primary limiting factor.
To address this, Terraformation continued investing in Terraware, its open-source forest management platform. In 2025, Terraware introduced new transparency features for funders to support carbon project implementation and oversight, alongside tools for adaptive forest management over time.
The platform remains free to any ecosystem restoration team that needs it. Through its Accelerator program, Terraformation is also sharing its operational and financing approach with other practitioners, encouraging replication across regions with the greatest reforestation potential.
Market Validation and Public Momentum
In 2025, Terraformation secured initial funding for two active projects, received international recognition including the Keeling Curve Prize for innovative finance, advanced government partnerships in Ghana and Cameroon, and secured grant funding for mangrove restoration across Indonesia and the Philippines. Three Terraformation projects are now under validation with Verra, reflecting rising market expectations for independent verification and higher-integrity credit supply. Terraformation also expanded participation through a new tree subscription model, enabling individuals to support locally led restoration alongside institutional finance and carbon markets.
Together, these signals reflect growing confidence that nature finance is maturing, with higher expectations for transparency, durability, and accountability. Investability increasingly depends on risk reduction—from land tenure and governance to local buy-in and trusted partnerships. And as climate impacts rise, more businesses are recognizing reforestation as supply-chain infrastructure, with real financial consequences.
Building the Restoration Age
Terraformation's long-term objective is to help enable the tripling of global reforestation by 2030 and to build the operational foundation for foresters worldwide to restore one trillion biodiverse trees across tropical forests.
"The world can't rely on a handful of perfect projects," said Daley. "Addressing our climate challenge requires many, many effective restoration efforts, built on shared standards and verified execution."
As climate impacts accelerate and nature finance comes of age, reforestation is moving from aspiration to infrastructure. In 2025, Terraformation focused on building what comes next.
About Terraformation
Terraformation supports large-scale native forest restoration to stabilize the climate, boost biodiversity, and create long-term economic opportunity for local communities. Through training, technology, and access to capital, Terraformation equips forestry teams to deliver high-integrity reforestation outcomes worldwide.
Media contact: [email protected]
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