Apple today announced a new investment in the restoration and sustainable management of California’s Gualala River Forest, expanding its Restore Fund initiative to protect at-risk landscapes while supporting its climate goals. The project, developed in partnership with The Conservation Fund, focuses on protecting 14,000 acres of coastal redwood forest in Mendocino County and will generate carbon credits that contribute to Apple’s 2030 plan.
The Restore Fund, first launched in 2021 with Goldman Sachs and Conservation International, is designed to scale nature-based carbon removal projects around the world. It has since expanded with Climate Asset Management and direct investments from Apple in conservation and regenerative agriculture initiatives in the U.S. and Latin America. Apple suppliers TSMC and Murata also participate, making the fund one of the largest corporate-backed efforts in this space. Today, it supports two dozen projects across six continents.
Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives, said, “We’re thrilled to help protect California’s iconic coastal redwoods as part of our growing Restore Fund initiative. 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.”
Through the partnership, The Conservation Fund will continue to manage the Gualala River Forest while Apple will receive carbon credits generated by the forest’s growth over time. Larry Selzer, president and CEO of The Conservation Fund, noted that “America’s forests are under immense pressure, with 13 million acres at risk of vanishing by 2050. Our collaboration with Apple is a powerful model for protecting working forests, and we’re eager to replicate it with partners across the country.”
Apple has worked with The Conservation Fund before, safeguarding more than 36,000 acres of working forests in Maine and North Carolina. It has also invested in a mixed-species temperate rainforest in Washington. With the new California redwood forest project, Apple builds on this history of conservation to protect land that serves as habitat for hundreds of wildlife species while also sustaining rural economies.
Apple’s Restore Fund investments are key to its Apple 2030 goal of becoming carbon neutral across its entire footprint by the end of the decade. The company has already reduced global emissions by more than 60% compared to 2015 levels and aims to achieve a 75% reduction overall. The remaining emissions will be balanced through high-quality carbon removal projects, with nature-based solutions prioritized for their scalability and co-benefits. By 2030, Apple and its suppliers target removing 9.6 million metric tons of carbon annually.
Alongside this project, Apple announced new global grants supporting partners such as Conservation International, the Jane Goodall Institute, and The Nature Conservancy. These initiatives aim to strengthen ecosystem protection, improve conservation monitoring, and support community-led efforts across Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and Latin America.
