aDryada and BaumInvest deploy first-of-its-kind model to create investment-grade nature project

• aDryada’s novel co-development model, launched with BaumInvest, accelerates nature restoration while creating fairer value-sharing for project developers
• The first project using the model will restore up to 40,000 ha, initially generating 8.7 million high-integrity carbon removal credits on the first 18,000 ha

Paris / Vichada Department, 19 March 2026 – aDryada, a developer of investment-grade natural infrastructure assets, has agreed a first-of-its-kind partnership with BaumInvest, a nature-based solutions (NBS) developer and implementer specialising in tropical mixed-species forest restoration, to deploy a novel co-development model and financial structure for nature restoration projects.

Designed to accelerate project development, operational partners – in this case BaumInvest – own a share in the project holding company and therefore participate in the long-term success of the project. This is in contrast to traditional models where the funding partner invests in project development in exchange for carbon credits, leaving operational developers limited to service delivery.

aDryada’s co-development model maximises the strengths of each partner. In this project, BaumInvest will focus on on-the-ground restoration expertise, while aDryada will focus on project structuring, financing and scaling to create bankable projects that can attract institutional investment, as well as securing long-term carbon credit offtake agreements with corporate buyers. By sharing both risks and long-term value, the model is designed to accelerate the development of high-integrity nature-based projects while creating fairer and more sustainable economics for project developers.

The Yopo Project in Colombia’s Vichada Department is the first to use the model. The project will initially restore 18,000 hectares of degraded land on the edge of the Amazon Basin, with the potential to expand to 40,000 hectares.

The 18,000 hectares restoration is expected to generate approximately 8.7 million high-integrity carbon removal credits, while supporting biodiversity restoration and creating employment opportunities for local communities.

This project is indicative of aDryada’s investment-grade infrastructure approach. This involves securing long-term land tenure, structuring projects through dedicated investment vehicles, and establishing predictable revenue streams through long-term carbon credit offtake agreements with corporate buyers.

By applying the governance, financing structures and contractual certainty typically found in infrastructure assets, aDryada reduces many of the risks that have historically limited large-scale nature-based projects. This enables institutional investors to finance capital-intensive ecosystem restoration while creating a reliable supply of high-integrity carbon removal credits and delivering long-term benefits for climate, nature and local communities.

Fabio Ferrari, CEO of aDryada, said: “Nature-based projects need to be developed at the scale and financial discipline of infrastructure if we are to meet the rapidly growing demand for high-integrity carbon removals credits. Our co-development model is designed to align incentives across the entire value chain by bringing operational partners into the ownership of the asset itself. By combining strong on-the-ground expertise with robust financial structures, we can build large-scale restoration projects that are both environmentally impactful and investable.”

Antje Virkus, CEO of BaumInvest said: “At BaumInvest, forests have been at the core of what we do since 2007. We restore degraded landscapes by establishing near-natural mixed forests with predominantly native tree species, creating lasting value for climate, biodiversity and local communities. With aDryada, we have found a strong partner who shares our ambition to develop high-quality nature-based assets at scale. By combining our experience in forest landscape restoration with aDryada’s expertise in structuring and financing nature-based projects, we aim to develop investments that unite ecological integrity with measurable impact”.

The Yopo Project is expected to begin its first planting phase in May, starting with 1,000 hectares, following the signing of initial land lease. The project is being developed at a time when corporate buyers and institutional investors are increasingly seeking high-integrity carbon removals that can deliver climate impact at scale.

aDryada plans to launch an offtake auction in 2026 to secure long-term carbon credit purchase agreements from corporate buyers, providing demand visibility alongside long-term project financing.

Project details

• The project will restore forests in an area with climatic conditions suitable for forest ecosystems that is currently maintained as savannah by recurring human-induced fires. Restoration will follow Society for Ecological Restoration methodologies, using nearby intact forests as reference ecosystems and planting a diverse mix of native species.
• Over its 40-year lifetime, the first 18,000 hectares are expected to sequester generate approximately 8.7 million carbon credits under the Gold Standard afforestation and reforestation methodology, with first issuance expected around 2030.
• The project has been designed to meet high international integrity standards, including the Gold Standard, IFC Performance Standards, ILO labour standards, and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
• Local communities will be involved in planting, monitoring and forest protection activities, creating employment opportunities and supporting sustainable livelihoods in the region.

The Yopo Project forms part of aDryada’s broader portfolio of nature-based infrastructure projects across Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire and the Philippines, focused on restoring critical ecosystems while generating high-integrity carbon credits. Working with governments, financial institutions and corporate partners, aDryada aims to remove 400 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent over the next 30 years.