Apple has announced a new investment in the restoration and sustainable management of a working redwood forest in California, deepening its commitment to nature-based carbon removal through its Restore Fund initiative. The project, developed in partnership with The Conservation Fund, focuses on the Gualala River Forest in Mendocino County, part of a vast stretch of coastal redwood habitat that supports hundreds of wildlife species and local communities.
Launched in 2021 with Goldman Sachs and Conservation International, the Restore Fund is designed to scale global investment in nature-based climate solutions. It has since grown to cover two dozen conservation and regenerative agriculture projects spanning six continents, with additional management by Climate Asset Management and investments from Apple suppliers including TSMC and Murata.
Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives, said: “Forests are one of the most powerful technologies we have for removing carbon from the atmosphere. Our global investments in nature are leveraging that technology while supporting communities, stimulating local economies, and enhancing biodiversity in ecosystems around the world.”
The Conservation Fund, which has safeguarded more than 120,000 acres of California’s redwood region since 2004, will oversee the forest’s sustainable management. Apple, in turn, will receive carbon credits generated over time. Larry Selzer, the organisation’s president and CEO, described the collaboration as “a powerful model for protecting working forests”.
Apple’s nature investments are central to its Apple 2030 pledge to become carbon neutral across its global footprint by the end of the decade. The company has already reduced its emissions by more than 60% since 2015 and aims to cut 75% before balancing the remainder with carbon removal projects. By 2030, Apple and its suppliers plan to remove 9.6 million metric tonnes of carbon annually.
Alongside the redwood project, Apple is announcing new conservation grants, including work with Conservation International to protect mangrove ecosystems in India, support for the Jane Goodall Institute’s global Roots and Shoots programme, and a partnership with The Nature Conservancy to advance monitoring of climate solutions.
The company has previously collaborated with The Conservation Fund to protect 36,000 acres of working forests in Maine and North Carolina, and has also invested in a mixed-species temperate rainforest in Washington. Apple said its ongoing global efforts aim not only to deliver carbon sequestration but also to strengthen rural economies, safeguard biodiversity and pioneer new approaches to conservation finance.
