Frequently Asked Questions

Halting tropical deforestation is key to tackling global climate change, preventing biodiversity loss, and is cost-effective in terms of impact per dollar.

Protecting biodiversity hotspots in tropical forests has an outsized impact on:

• Biodiversity:Tropical forests are the most biodiverse ecosystem on earth and home to half of the world's terrestrial species; therefore, protecting them is crucial to halting global biodiversity loss. Biodiversity hotspots cover just 2.5% of the land in the world but hold 43% of threatened species. Of that 2.5%, 65% is tropical forest ecosystems. The most important factor for species extinction today is tropical deforestation caused by human activities.
• Climate: Forests are natural global climate regulators, sequestering carbon and maintaining water cycles. A ton of avoided deforestation in the tropics is 2.5 times more valuable than a ton conserved in a temperate latitude, because biophysical feedback mechanisms magnify the impact by approximately 50%. Mature, old-growth tropical forests are particularly effective carbon sinks, storing significantly more carbon than smaller or newly planted trees.
• Cost-effectiveness: Conserving tropical forests is 7-10 times more cost-effective than reforestation. Tree planting is resource-intensive and cannot replace unique ecosystem compositions. Conservation is 100x more cost-effective than costly engineered carbon-removal technologies.

For more details, see our insight piece on Tropical Forest in our Resources section.

InvestConservation works with high-quality conservation projects in tropical forests that meet strict eligibility criteria:

• High conservation value: Projects are located within a biodiversity hotspot or mega-biodiverse region, with exceptional species richness and protection of endangered species.
• Deforestation frontier: Each site must protect intact land facing active deforestation risk with proximity to human pressures. The forest must be accessible by road or river, or within 30km of a material human settlement.
• Private or community land: We focus on privately or community-owned land, not government-owned national parks. Landholders must hold legal title and commit to permanent conservation.
• Size: Each project area needs to be large enough to maintain populations of endangered species, situated in a region under immediate threat of deforestation, and/or buffer larger protected areas.

Appropriate management regimes to prevent and control fires are implemented as part of the conservation plans.

The risk of fire is low in tropical forests as they maintain high humidity and moisture levels, especially intact old-growth forests. These forests have closed canopies that keep the forest floor cool, shaded, and damp — conditions that make natural fire outbreaks rare. The risk increases only when degradation to the forest structure has occurred, as the disturbed canopy allows more sunshine to reach and dry out the lower parts of the forest.

InvestConservation combines boots-on-the-ground, legal protection, and technology to ensure long-term forest conservation:

• Boots-on-the-ground: Each site employs local park guards who patrol boundaries, prevent encroachment, and engage with surrounding communities. Guards can be notified on their phones if sounds of chainsaws or gunshots are recorded by soundscape devices.
• Legal agreements: Long-term conservation contracts with landowners define clear obligations including: not clearing native vegetation, not granting mining or fossil fuel rights, preventing trespassing, no hunting or interfering with wildlife, and implementing fire prevention and invasive species management.
• Continuous monitoring: Satellite imagery is used to detect and verify any land-use changes, providing independent data for full transparency and accountability.

InvestConservation is a mission-driven organisation — 85% of funding goes directly to on-the-ground conservation efforts, which is twice as much as traditional carbon developers.

Top-level components of the use of funds include:

1. Protection: Funding local park guards to secure sites against illegal logging and poaching, while generating local employment.
2. Science-based conservation: Species-specific programs for feeding and breeding of particularly threatened species, and research to increase knowledge on rare species and their movements.
3. Data-driven monitoring:
   • Biodiversity monitoring — acoustic AI systems and expanded camera trap systems
   • Forest health — satellite measures for deforestation, biomass, and canopy
   • Carbon monitoring — real-time atmospheric measuring via flux towers
4. Scaling impact: Expansion of protected areas and programs.
5. Community benefit: Employment and training for local communities to assist in protecting and maintaining forest sites.

The 15% InvestConservation retains covers management fees, including project selection, conservation oversight and verification, impact reporting, legal structures, technology, and operating expenses.

Yes, some of the reserves we work with have lodges that you can visit. What better way to experience first-hand the impact of conservation efforts on the ground?

For more information about visiting a reserve, contact us at info@investconservation.com. We'll be happy to provide more details and connect you with the site organisers.