The Brazilian region of Cerrado is one of the world's most biodiverse geographies, home to around 5,500 species of plant species not found anywhere else on the planet, and also a critical water, food and livelihood source for millions of people.

However, land degradation and deforestation has resulted in more than half of its natural ecosystems being lost.

In response, BTG Pactual Timberland Investment Group (TIG), which invests in sustainable timber opportunities, and the global environmental non-profit Conservation International have collaborated on a $1 billion "climate-and nature-focused"reforestation strategy across Latin America, which aims to restore more than 300,000 acres of natural forests.

Its first project in the Cerrado region is a nearly 60,000-acre cattle ranch, an area 4 times the size of Manhattan island. Through a 'landscape-scale management plan', which was made this year specifically for the Cerrado investment, TIG is targeting the protection and restoration of around 30,000 acres of forest and plans to protect headwaters, increase employment opportunities in the area and enhance biodiversity on the land. It also hopes that over the next 15 years the land will sequester around three million tonnes of carbon.

The project's impact will be measured through a variety of technologies and methods such as camera traps, water quality sampling and soil carbon measurement. TIG has also developed a 'detailed baseline' of socio-economic conditions in nearby communities to help monitor livelihood improvements from the restoration and protection of the land, and its natural employment benefits.

The judges of the IMPACT Awards praised the project as a "great demonstration of the power of collaboration" between non-profits and conservation science.

Another added that this is "an ambitious, well-articulated and large-scale project with significant impact potential for both planet and people".