Forestry and Natural Capital Solutions for Africa

Building productive, resilient, and investable forest landscapes across Africa

Verterra delivers forestry, plantation development and natural capital projects across Africa, working with governments, development partners, research organisations and commercial investors to design, establish and manage productive, climate-resilient landscapes.

Our work combines ecological engineering, forestry science and practical on-ground delivery to turn land assets into measurable environmental, social and economic value.

With an established on-ground presence in Rwanda and project experience across multiple regions, Verterra supports the full lifecycle of forestry and natural capital projects - helping build the capability, systems and landscapes required to support development of Africa’s emerging green economy.

Africa has a unique opportunity to scale nature‑based solutions that drive inclusive growth and climate resilience, while avoiding the carbon pollution, ecological degradation and social inequities that accompanied conventional pathways in the developed world. 

Success, however, depends on far more than planting trees.

It requires a deep understanding of how landscapes function - integrating soil, water, vegetation and climate to ensure forestry systems are productive, resilient and capable of delivering long-term performance.

Verterra applies an ecological engineering approach to forestry  - supporting projects from feasibility and design, through establishment, workforce training and development, to harvesting and marketing timber products.

Our Services in Africa

Plantation nursery in Angola

We design and support forest plantation systems suited to local ecological conditions, commercial objectives, cultural sensitivites, community values and long-term landscape performance.

Our approach considers the full plantation system - from genetics and nursery production, through establishment, management and protection, to harvest and marketing - ensuring plantations are designed for productivity, resilience, commercial success and social benefit.

Technical forestry services include:

  • Species selection, genetics and silviculture 

  • Nursery development and seedling production 

  • Greenfield plantation design and establishment

  • Plantation management and optimisation

  • Inventory assessment and growth modelling 

  • Sustainable harvest planning and operations 

  • Equitable timber and wood product marketing 

  • Training and capability building for local forestry teams 

  • Community consultation and agroforestry 

Forestry and Plantation Development

Successful forestry begins with understanding the landscape.

We assess land, water, climate and operational conditions to reduce risk, identify constraints and design systems that work with - not against - the environment.

Services include:

  • Soil and land capability assessment

  • Hydrology and climate analysis

  • Site species matching

  • Site feasibility and planning

  • Land suitability mapping

  • Water availability and irrigation planning

Land and Resource Assessment

Eucalypt plantation in Angola

Forestry projects can deliver multiple value streams beyond timber, including carbon sequestration, ecosystem restoration and broader natural capital outcomes.

We support the design of integrated natural capital strategies that align carbon, timber, biomass and ecosystem services into a unified value proposition.

Services include:

  • Carbon sequestration project design, documentation and registration

  • Carbon sequestration modelling

  • Forest inventory, monitoring and carbon accounting

  • Integration with timber, biomass and ecosystem markets

  • Monitoring, reporting, validation and verification frameworks

Carbon and Natural Capital

Educating teams in the field in Rwanda

Verterra’s strength lies not only in design, but in implementation - bridging the gap between strategy and on-ground delivery.

We support clients to move from concept to establishment and long-term performance, while building local capability and operational systems.

Services include:

  • End-to-end forest business implementation

  • Infrastructure development including irrigation, access and fire systems

  • Nursery and field team training

  • Operational planning and workforce systems

  • Monitoring and adaptive management

Project Delivery

Verterra has supported forestry and land management projects across multiple African regions, spanning government programs, development initiatives and commercial plantation systems.

Angola

Large-Scale Forestry & Natural Capital Development

One of Africa’s most significant forestry initiatives is being delivered by Verterra in partnership with Esplendor Florestal and Fundo Soberano de Angola.

The project integrates:

  • Large-scale eucalypt plantation design and implementation

  • Staff and contractor training and capacity building

  • FSC certification and Verra VM0047 carbon pathway development

  • Governance and operational management across plantation, nursery and harvesting systems

  • Community engagement and land stewardship to support local economic development

This work demonstrates how forestry can support economic diversification, climate resilience and natural capital outcomes at scale.

Commercial forestry plantation in Rwanda

Delivering Across Africa

Rwanda

Sustainable Forestry & Institutional Capacity

Verterra’s work in Rwanda focuses on building sustainable forestry capability and institutional capacity to support long-term sector development including:

  • International forest management advisory services

  • Strengthening governance, operational systems and technical standards for forest estate management

  • Training and capacity building in silvicultural, nursery, and plantation management skills

  • Sustainable land-use planning integrating forestry with broader economic and environmental objectives

  • Capacity building and knowledge transfer to enable scalable, locally-led forestry growth

Done image of hte developed forestry project with a snow-capped mountain in the background

Tanzania

Commercial Forestry Plantations for Bioenergy (TPC)

Verterra’s work with TPC Limited in Tanzania focused on restoring saline land and developing biomass-based energy solutions within an existing agricultural estate.

Our work included:

  • Rehabilitation of unproductive saline-sodic land within TPC’s sugar estate

  • Design and implementation of species and provenance trials for biomass crops

  • Advanced soil characterisation

  • Delivery of nursery systems, operating manuals and hands-on training to build local capability

  • Development of scalable afforestation strategies for degraded land

  • Support for renewable energy and circular economy outcomes

Partner with Us To Turn Land Potential into Productive, Resilient and Measurable Natural Capital

Whether you are developing a new plantation, assessing land for forestry potential, or building a carbon or natural capital project, Verterra Rwanda provides the expertise and systems required to deliver long-term performance.