On September 23, Apple announced that it would invest in the restoration and sustainable management of California’s Gualala River Forest, further expanding its global “Restore Fund” initiative.
It is reported that the project is carried out in partnership with The Conservation Fund and is committed to protecting and managing coastal redwood forests in Mendocino County while generating carbon credits to support Apple’s climate goals. Since its launch in 2021 with Goldman Sachs and Conservation International, the Apple Recovery Fund has grown to include direct investments from Climate Asset Management and Apple, participating in multiple projects in the United States and Latin America.
Apple suppliers TSMC and Murata also provide support for the fund, which currently covers six continents and supports more than 24 conservation and regenerative agriculture projects.
The Gualala River Forest Project is part of Apple's goal to become fully carbon neutral by 2030. The company plans to reduce carbon emissions by 75% on the basis of 2015, and the remaining emissions will be offset through nature-based carbon removal projects, with a target of 9.6 million tons per year. Apple said it has achieved more than 60% of its emission reduction target.
Apple has previously partnered with the Conservation Foundation to protect 36,000 acres of forests in Maine and North Carolina and invested in temperate rainforests in Washington state.