Blog

blog_forestprotectionprojects_header_01

Blog_ForestProtectionProjects_Header_01

We love planting trees – but that’s not all we do. Ecologi also helps preserve the world’s existing forests by supporting carbon reduction projects that prevent degradation and deforestation.

Why are forest protection projects important?

Home to most of the world’s biodiversity, forests also play a crucial role in supporting the supply of water, and help to combat climate change. Additionally, forests all over the world provide livelihoods for local communities and are essential for food production. The forest protection projects Ecologi supports are important because forests across the planet are being destroyed at alarming rates. Since the 90s, roughly <a href="http://www.fao.org/3/ca8642en/CA8642EN.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">420 million hectares of forest</a> have been lost to make room for <a href="https://ecologi.com/articles/blog/industries-and-sectors-driving-deforestation-what-you-need-to-know" target="_blank" rel="noopener">other land uses</a>, like agricultural expansion.   
Tackling deforestation helps us to tackle our planet&#8217;s biggest problems: the climate crisis and the biodiversity crisis. Deforestation is the leading cause of biodiversity loss, while the associated carbon emissions of land-use change are thought to be <a href="https://drawdown.org/solutions/forest-protection" target="_blank" rel="noopener">10-15% of the world&#8217;s total</a> emissions – more than the entire global transport sector.

Avoiding deforestation is part of the solution

Put simply, we can combat deforestation just by planting more trees. The FAO 2020 <a href="http://www.fao.org/3/ca8642en/CA8642EN.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">State of the World’s Forest Report</a> says that we need large-scale reforestation to meet the <a href="https://sdgs.un.org/goals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UN Sustainable Development Goals</a> and stop –and reverse– biodiversity loss. Through forest restoration can we restore habitats and ecosystems, and create jobs and generate income for local communities. Reforestation is an effective nature-based solution to climate change, but making sure areas of existing forest stay in tact is just as important.

Over <a href="http://www.fao.org/3/ca8642en/CA8642EN.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a third (34%)</a> of the world&#8217;s forests are primary forests. These are naturally generated forests of native tree species where there are no clearly visible indications of human activity. Primary forests are invaluable for their biodiversity, carbon storage and other benefits to ecosystems.
Comparing primary forests with both secondary (those established through natural expansion and around 14–16 years old) and planted forests, <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/104/47/18555" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one study of species richness</a> found that 25% of the species were unique to primary forests, with almost 60% only present in primary forests. If we allow the destruction of primary forests to continue, we risk losing species that we can never get back.

Forest protection projects and carbon storage

Primary forests, or old-growth or virgin forests, are also a priority for valuable carbon storage. The likes of the Amazon, Congo and Great Bear Rainforest have mature canopy trees and complex understories, containing <a href="https://www.drawdown.org/solutions/forest-protection/technical-summary#:~:text=Project%20Drawdown%20defines%20forest%20protection,replaces%20non%2Dprotected%20forest%20land.&amp;text=They%20represent%20massive%20storehouses%20of%20carbon%20in%20soils%20and%20biomass." target="_blank" rel="noopener">an estimated 300 billion tonnes of carbon</a>. 
According to Project Drawdown, forest protection has the potential to avoid the emission of <a href="https://www.drawdown.org/solutions/forest-protection/technical-summary#:~:text=Project%20Drawdown%20defines%20forest%20protection,replaces%20non%2Dprotected%20forest%20land.&amp;text=They%20represent%20massive%20storehouses%20of%20carbon%20in%20soils%20and%20biomass." target="_blank" rel="noopener">5.52 to 8.75 gigatons of CO2e </a>between 2020 and 2050, while <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-019-0485-x" target="_blank" rel="noopener">another recent study</a> shows that avoided deforestation offers between 7.2 and 9.6 times the potential for low-cost climate mitigation as reforestation. 
Of course, forest restoration is still vital, but prevention is better than cure. As well as planting new trees, we should also protect existing forests because they store more carbon, and contain plants and animals that we may never see in planted or restored forests. That&#8217;s why, at Ecologi, we do both!

Forest protection projects Ecologi has supported

These projects are part of the Reduce Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (<a href="https://www.un-redd.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">REDD+</a>) scheme. They place an area of forest under protection through long-term forest management. These are some of the forest protection programmes Ecologi has supported most recently:

blog_forestprotectionprojects_banner_01

Blog_ForestProtectionProjects_Banner_01

<h3>1. Preserving prime Brazilian rainforests</h3>
This project is protecting and restoring 186,219 hectares of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. This area of the rainforest hosts eight endangered mammal species, and numerous endangered bird and plant species. The project will prevent the deforestation of 30,0006 hectares over its 30 years project lifetime, which equates to 14,507,808 tCO2e in emissions reductions. 
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Emissions avoided by Ecologi through this project: 1300 tCO2e </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Sustainable Development Goals supported: Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, Goal 13: Climate Action and Goal 15: Life on Land. </li>
</ul>

<h3>2. Protecting the Amazon Rainforest from deforestation in Brazil</h3>
Ecologi has supported a fantastic project protecting 496,988 hectares of the Brazilian rainforest, rich in biodiversity and containing several species of extreme ecological and social importance. Six critically endangered or threatened species will benefit from the reduction of threats as a result of the project activities. For the 30-year phase of the project, an estimated 15,491,971 tonnes of CO2e will be saved from entering the atmosphere.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Emissions avoided by Ecologi through this project: 1750 tCO2e </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Sustainable Development Goals supported: Goal 2: Zero hunger, Goal 4: Quality Education, Goal 5: Gender Equality, Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, Goal 13: Climate Action, and Goal 15: Life on Land </li>
</ul>

blog_forestprotectionprojects_banner_03

Blog_ForestProtectionProjects_Banner_03

<h3>3. Protecting and restoring the Pacific Coast of Columbia</h3>
This avoided deforestation project based on the Pacific coast of Columbia protects 83,452 hectares of land containing over 831 bird species, 195 amphibians, 167 mammals, 210 reptiles and 5124 plant species. Illegal timber extraction has historically been an important source of income within this project zone, and the project aims to relieve the pressure on the forests by supporting the development of sustainable economic and livelihood alternatives. 
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Emissions avoided by Ecologi through this project: 2500 tCO2e </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Sustainable Development Goals supported:  Goal 1: No Poverty, Goal 2: Zero Hunger, Goal 4: Quality Education, Goal 5: Gender Equality, Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth and Goal 13: Climate Action.</li>
</ul>

blog_forestprotectionprojects_banner_04

Blog_ForestProtectionProjects_Banner_04

<h3>4. Preserving the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor in Guatemala</h3>
This project sets out to protect and restore 54,157 hectares of land in the Guatemalan section of the Mesoamerican biological corridor by saving the existing areas of forest, establishing areas of reforestation, reducing illegal logging and providing alternative revenue streams from forest production, like sustainable agroforestry. 
Additionally, this project offers community objectives, like providing full access to reproductive health information and care for local women, and ensuring that a sufficient household income for local people is provided from sustainable practices.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Emissions avoided by Ecologi through this project: 4400 tCO2e </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Sustainable Development Goals supported: Goal 2: Zero Hunger, Goal 3: Good Health and Wellbeing, Goal 13: Climate Action, Goal 14: Life below Water and Goal 15: Life on Land. </li>
</ul>

blog_forestprotectionprojects_banner_05

Blog_ForestProtectionProjects_Banner_05

<h3>5. Peruvian protection of the Amazon</h3>
We have supported this project which is protecting 98,932 hectares of the Amazonian rainforest in the Madre de Dios region of Peru. This project secures the long-term conservation and sustainable management of the forest, promotes a healthy wildlife habitat, and will prevent 659,793 tonnes of CO2e from entering the atmosphere each year. 
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Emissions avoided by Ecologi through this project: 4450 tCO2e </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">SDG co-benefits: 
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Goal 1: No Poverty, </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Goal 3: Good Health and Wellbeing, </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Goal 4: Quality Education, </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Goal 5: Gender Equality, </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Goal 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure, </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Goal 10, Reduced inequalities, </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Goal 11: sustainable cities and communities, </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Goal 12: responsible consumption and production, </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Goal 13: Climate Action, </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Goal 15: Life on Land, </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Goal 16: Peace justice and strong institutions; </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Goal 17: partnerships for the global goals. </li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>

blog_forestprotectionprojects_banner_06

Blog_ForestProtectionProjects_Banner_06

The co-benefits of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)

Ecologi only supports and funds carbon offsetting projects which support SDG 13 – Climate Action. However, many of the projects we support – especially those avoiding deforestation – offer SDG co-benefits. This means that they provide a verified and well-documented benefit to other goals in addition to Climate Action. To find out more about our SDG co-benefits, have a look at our <a href="https://ecologi.com/articles/updates/ecologi-impact-report-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2020 climate impact report.</a>

Summary: Why forest protection projects are important

Protecting existing rainforests is a vital strategy to tackling the climate and biodiversity crisis. Forests contain vast amounts of biodiversity and store masses of carbon. That&#8217;s why Ecologi plants thousands of trees AND funds forest protection projects through carbon credits, benefiting both wildlife and the community. 
&nbsp;
<a href="https://ecologi.com/plan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sign up</a> to Ecologi today to help fund these amazing projects to protect existing rainforests around the world.

blog_goodnews_header-2

Blog_GoodNews_Header

Hopescrolling: The Good News timeline

It’s not all bad. While there’s a lot of negative news about the climate, let’s not forget the good stuff. Find climate wins, reasons to be hopeful and plenty of positivity in our good news timeline.

The good news timeline

Ready to make a difference for our planet? Get in touch, and let’s chat about how we can help you on your climate journey. 

Impact Reports

blog_impact_report_header-1

Blog_Impact_Report_Header (1)

Ecologi Impact Report 2024

Each year, we publish our Impact Report to share the tangible difference our community has helped create. Our 2024 report not only highlights the progress of the projects the Ecologi community has supported over the past twelve months, it also includes, for the first time, our own greenhouse gas inventory and emissions management plan.
You can read the full report below, or stay with us here for a quick snapshot of the most impactful numbers and milestones from last year.

<h3>Read the full 2024 Impact Report</h3>
<div class="ecologi-video-full-width"><iframe src="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20250422095731/Ecologi_Impact_Report_2024_-1.pdf" width="595" height="1100" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>
<div></div>

<h2>87 million trees funded to date</h2>
In 2024, the Ecologi community funded 9.97 million trees through reforestation projects across 13 countries and 5 continents, bringing our all-time total to over 87 million trees.
We worked with 10 dedicated partners – including two recognised as UN World Restoration Flagships, Acción Andina and Trees for the Future &#8211; to restore degraded and threatened forests. These projects not only support climate resilience and biodiversity, but also positively contribute to over 47,800 livelihoods around the world.

<h2>19,500 m2 wildflower, wetlands and wildlife habitat funded for restoration in 2024</h2>
From the peatlands of the Isle of Skye to the slopes of Dumyat, our dedicated <a href="https://ecologi.com/impact-shop/support-wildflowers-wetlands-and-wildlife" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wildflower, Wetlands and Wildlife</a> restoration project supported community-led efforts to revive native ecosystems and protect biodiversity. 
At the Uigshader Living Forest Project, once a commercial timber site, native trees planted with Ecologi funding are thriving with signs of natural regeneration and native species, such as the eared willow (Salix aurita) returning. 
Meanwhile, at Dumyat, the reintroduction of wildflowers and targeted restoration work has already made a visible impact. Rare species are returning, including the Northern Brown Argus (Aricia artaxerxes) which was spotted close to the site after a century-long absence, and the Sticky Catchfly (Viscaria vulgaris), one of the UK’s rarest plants, now flourishing thanks to restoration efforts.
This work wouldn’t be possible without our project partner, the Future Forest Company, and the continued support of our community. Together, we can restore habitats, protect vulnerable species, and drive forward nature-based solutions that are critical in our fight against climate change.

<h2>548,200 tCO2e emissions avoidance funded in 2024</h2>
Last year, the Ecologi community prevented over 560,000 tonnes of carbon emissions through a diverse portfolio of high-impact projects.
This includes more than 179,000 tonnes through landfill gas capture initiatives &#8211; some of the first globally to receive the new CCP-Approved label from the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market.
Ecologi also funded over 330,000 tonnes of emissions avoidance through nature-based forest protection projects across Brazil, Colombia, and Indonesia, helping safeguard tropical peatlands and biodiversity hotspots while preserving vital carbon stores. An additional 53,000 tonnes of emissions were avoided through community-based initiatives, including fuel-efficient cookstove projects in Uganda and Kenya. These efforts reduce deforestation and pollution and deliver meaningful health and social outcomes.

<h2>21,200 tCO2 carbon dioxide removal funded in 2024</h2>
Carbon removal remains one of the most emerging areas in the voluntary carbon market, with innovative technologies still scaling and costs remaining high. Despite these challenges, the Ecologi community funded over 21,000 tonnes of carbon removal in 2024, helping to accelerate progress in this vital area of climate action.
One such initiative is Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW), a nature-based solution developed by our partner UNDO. This process involves spreading finely crushed silicate rock, such as basalt, onto agricultural land, where it reacts with CO₂ in the atmosphere and locks it away for centuries.
Since launching ERW projects in July 2024, our community has funded 105 tonnes of carbon removal through this method. With the potential to remove billions of tonnes of CO₂ annually, Enhanced Rock Weathering represents an exciting step forward in the race to scale durable, science-backed carbon removal.

<h2>Our Greenhouse Gas Inventory </h2>
As part of our commitment to transparency and accountability, we’ve completed our greenhouse gas inventory for the past two years. In 2023, our total emissions were 1,993.37 tCO₂e, and 1,584.65 tCO₂e in 2024 
Whilst not common practice in our industry, we’ve chosen to include the emissions from our impact projects &#8211; both those that generate carbon credits, and those that don&#8217;t into our Scope 3 reporting, despite the challenges in quantifying them accurately. These projects play a central role in our business, and we believe in taking responsibility to try our best to estimate these emissions, rather than omitting them entirely. By using a spend-based methodology, we are taking a transparent step towards capturing the full impact of our operations, even if the current approach has its limitations, particularly around the use of financial proxies. 
Within our reporting, this remains our biggest area of uncertainty and will be a key area of focus moving forwards, with a primary objective to transition to the activity-based methodology whereby primary data can be applied. 
This inventory forms the foundation of our emissions management plan, helping us track progress and identify areas for continued reduction across our operations. To learn more about our approach to preparing our inventory and how we plan to focus on the betterment of data collection in the future, to reduce our reliance on assumptions and proxies, click the link below.

<h2>Read more stats and stories in our full Impact Report</h2>
This blog offers just a snapshot of what we’ve accomplished over the past 12 months. To explore the full picture, including detailed insights, impact data, and stories from the projects we’ve supported, dive into the full Impact Report which you can view <a href="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20250422095731/Ecologi_Impact_Report_2024_-1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

<h2>Ready to take the lead in climate action?</h2>
Fill in the form below to book a 30 minute discovery call with our climate experts and find out more about working with Ecologi to measure your emissions, set reduction goals and fund high-quality climate action.

Schedule a 30-minute discovery call

blog_netzeronow_announcement_header_01-1

Blog_NetZeroNow_Announcement_Header_01 (1)

Ecologi acquires Net Zero Now

In a landmark move set to reshape corporate climate action, we’re excited to announce that Ecologi, the UK&#8217;s most trusted climate action platform, has acquired <a href="https://netzeronow.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Net Zero Now</a>, the sector-specific carbon measurement and reduction platform for businesses.
The combined entity operating under the Ecologi brand will create a single solution for industry climate leadership towards net zero. The integration combines sector-specific carbon measurement and reduction with world class verified climate projects that supports businesses wherever they are on their net zero journey.

<h2>The game-changing impact of this acquisition</h2>
The strategic acquisition solves two fundamental challenges in corporate climate action: businesses have been forced to choose between fragmented solutions and generic ‘one size fits all’ approaches that ignore crucial sector-specific needs. By combining Net Zero Now&#8217;s sector-specific protocol expertise with Ecologi&#8217;s platform funding top-tier climate projects, we&#8217;re creating a tailored and complete solution helping businesses lead their industries towards net zero.

Reduce emissions.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Measure Scope 1, 2 &amp; 3 emissions with sector-specific industry GHG protocols</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Set short term and long term reduction target emissions aligned to SBTi</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Tailored reduction plans for sector-specific emissions pathways</li>
</ul>
Restore our planet.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Compensate for unavoidable emissions as you reduce them through 
funding verified, high-quality carbon avoidance and removal credits</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Contribute to global climate goals by funding climate Impact Funds for 
beyond value chain mitigation and/or as part of your products &amp; services</li>
</ul>
Report on progress.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Corporate sustainability standards e.g. CSRD, SECR, SBTi, CDP, B Corp</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Sector specific standards e.g. Accountancy, Hospitality, Public Sector</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Custom climate impact reports and embeddable dashboards</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Communications toolkit for board and stakeholder engagement</li>
</ul>

Climate leadership starts here

blog_netzeronow_announcement_banner_02-1

Blog_NetZeroNow_Announcement_Banner_02 (1)

Neil Ross Russell, Managing Director of Net Zero Now, said:
<blockquote>Businesses want to take climate action, but they want to know they’re doing it right and what’s right for a restaurant business is not the same as what’s right for an accounting firm.  They need industry-specific guidance and clear pathways to climate leadership. By joining forces with Ecologi, we&#8217;re creating a platform that allows us to provide credible, simple and affordable, sector-specific, end-to-end climate solutions for businesses in our existing sectors and collaborate with industry partners on new sector-led solutions.</blockquote>

adobe-express-file

Adobe Express - file

The acquisition aligns with Ecologi&#8217;s mission to accelerate business climate action and grow our 24,000 strong customer base. Established sector protocols including hospitality and professional services will be the initial focus with plans to expand across additional industries throughout 2025.
With organisations under increasingly complex stakeholder and industry compliance demands for environmental accountability, this end-to-end solution also ensures streamlined reporting, monitoring progress, supply chain transparency, and voluntary disclosures. This transforms business leaders into climate leaders with the confidence to tackle their climate commitments head-on, communicating and meeting critical regulatory requirements like SECR, CSRD and SBTi.

<h2>More about Net Zero Now</h2>
Founded in 2021, Net Zero Now has developed a proprietary sector-led approach, which combines climate expertise alongside the sector knowledge and experience of relevant industry bodies, industry influencers and larger businesses to reach a consensus around what Net Zero means in practice for businesses in each sector. To date, the company has measured and validated 1.8 MtCO2e lifetime emissions supporting more than 50+ leading brands including Coca Cola Europacific Partners, L&#8217;Orèal, Heineken, Pernod Ricard, Subway, Hard Rock Cafe, Adnams, Edgbaston and James Cowper Kreston.

Ecologi’s Forest Protection Projects

Why are forest protection projects important?

Avoiding deforestation is part of the solution

Protecting primary forests

Forest protection projects and carbon storage

Forest protection projects Ecologi has supported

The co-benefits of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)

Summary: Why forest protection projects are important

More posts

Hopescrolling: The Good News timeline

Impact Report 2024: A year of impact for our planet

Ecologi acquires Net Zero Now

Follow us

Members

Resources

© 2025 Ecologi

Stay in touch with Ecologi