Our Signature Empress Farms are the product of 8 years of research across over 300 different farm locations. Working with our institutional financial partners, these farms are designed to maximise social and ecological impacts whilst targeting robust returns.
Signature Empress Farms
Institutional Projects
Agroforestry projects that restore and regenerate farmland – naturally
Institutional investors
Investing in Nature
- 2000+ acre agroforestry projects in our best growing regions
- Sustainable lumber combined with food crops and/or livestock
- Early cash flow from crops and carbon credits
- Generates carbon and biodiversity offsets
- 3 harvests per project
- Climate smart, regenerative design
Contact us for a brochure of our current investment opportunities.
Planting for prosperity
Financial Model
World Tree’s Signature Empress Farms are designed to layer multiple revenue opportunities into a single project. Each project is uniquely designed to provide financial returns alongside other outcomes (e.g.community, conservation and carbon). Projected IRR ranges from 10 – 23% depending on the overall objectives.
Land development: Transformation of underutilized farmland into valuable and productive agroforestry systems.
Carbon offsets: Production of nature-based carbon credits to sell into a rapidly growing carbon offset market.
Lumber production: Production of beautiful, versatile eco-timber to meet the demands of an $180 billion U.S. market.
Food production: Food and/or livestock create short and medium term cash flow to sustain the project.
By 2030, the carbon credit market may be worth more than $50 billion.
- McKinsey & Company
Nature based offsets
Carbon Forestry
Nature based carbon removal is one of the most powerful and effective methods to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Empress tree utilizes and extremely efficient mode of photosynthesis to fuel its rapid growth, which means it can sequester more carbon more quickly than most other trees.
Our projects are designed to meet stringent criteria regarding additionality, permanence and verification. In many cases we protect and restore existing forest, while also reforesting and restoring soil carbon.
- Realize ambitious carbon targets by 2030 and beyond
- Create financial returns in the process of decarbonizing
- Generate multiple impact and social benefits (soil, land, jobs and biodiversity)
- Measure and validate projects and impact
Restoring healthy ecosystems
Biodiversity Approach
The biodiversity conservation paradigm that focuses on setting aside pristine ecosystems while ignoring the agricultural landscape is a failed strategy.
The front line of biodiversity protection must shift to the world’s farms and agricultural projects which comprise 70% of the land use in Latin America.
Our Conservation Approach includes:
- Transformation of degraded land hybridized agricultural and forest landscapes
- Preserve, restore and create native forest
- Permanent crops planted with trees and cover crops
- Minimal use of chemicals and low-tillage.
- Buffer strips of native species
- Training local community in regenerative agriculture
“We can monetize the healing just as we can the stealing of the earth.”
- Paul Hawken
Capitalizing on a unique market opportunity
World Tree is positioned to capture a significant share of an $180 billion market by introducing a new, sustainable hardwood in the U.S.
Global lumber demand is forecasted to more than double by 2050. Growing populations of middle to high income consumers are driving lumber consumption across all sectors. With species such as ash, western red cedar and redwood threatened with extinction, there is an urgent need for new sources of timber. World Tree’s Empress allows for the rapid production of farmed lumber to meet this demand.
Anticipated growth in lumber demand, climate change induced shortages and growing demand for sustainably sourced timber, will make Empress lumber, sourced from sustainable tree farms, well-positioned to acquire market share within the global lumber market.
Market Highlights
- Global demand for timber is anticipated to quadruple over the next 30 years (World Bank)
- Growing market shortages due to climate change are becoming worse with time
- Versatile lumber with many applications across a range of industries that require performance characteristics such as lightweight and water and warping resistance
- Long history of being a highly prized lumber in Asia, though the North American market is undeveloped, creating an opening for a first mover sustainable lumber supplier
- Sustainably grown timber that appeals to green businesses and consumers
The regenerative philosophy
Project Development
World Tree is currently developing projects in Costa Rica, Mexico and the United States. Each project is custom designed to balance the interests of our investment partners.
Empress are not ‘plant and walk away’ trees. They require extensive and highly specialized management. Empress cultivation is a science that World Tree has refined through extensive experience.
World Tree has an in-house management team dedicated to overseeing all farm operations, with certain functions sub-contracted to local managers and farmers.
World Tree’s Signature Empress Farms are managed using the principles and philosophy of regenerative agriculture. With a focus on soil health, non-chemical control of weeds and pests and the use of soil-smart land management World Tree is working with our operational partners to create a strong healthy environment for the trees and any companion animals or crops that are grown with them.
Partnerships for Impact
World Tree is seeking partners who share our ambition and commitment to creating large scale, impactful projects. Please contact us to receive information on our latest opportunities for investors, corporations and landowners.