New Partnership Delivers ‘Most Expansive’ Nature Positive Initiative Pilot Globally

Why It Matters

The partnership provides a scalable, cost‑effective way to quantify nature outcomes, unlocking natural‑capital financing and satisfying investor and regulator expectations for credible biodiversity data.

Key Takeaways

• Pilot covered 400,000 ha across Australia, US, Africa
• NatureHelm platform uses AI to standardize biodiversity metrics
• Enables investors to meet TNFD reporting requirements
• Supports monetization of nature through data-driven asset management
• New Forests will extend pilot to 4.4 million ha

Pulse Analysis

The Sydney‑based manager New Forests has teamed with biodiversity‑intelligence firm NatureHelm to launch what it calls the world’s most expansive Nature Positive Initiative pilot. Over a six‑month run, the collaboration applied seven state‑of‑nature metrics to more than 400,000 hectares of forest and agricultural land in Australia, the United States, Tanzania, Mozambique and Uganda. By marrying big‑data analytics with machine‑learning models, NatureHelm provided a standardized lens for quantifying biodiversity condition, offering investors a transparent, comparable view of nature‑based assets that has been missing from traditional financial reporting.

The pilot directly addresses a long‑standing gap in natural‑capital accounting: the ability to measure, compare and report the state of nature at portfolio scale without prohibitive costs. The emerging NPI metric basket, shaped through a two‑year consensus process, aligns with the Taskforce on Nature‑related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) framework, giving asset managers a credible tool for ESG and impact reporting. For institutional investors seeking risk‑adjusted exposure to nature, the data‑driven approach links specific management actions—such as invasive‑species control or habitat restoration—to quantifiable improvements, paving the way for more disciplined capital allocation.

Looking ahead, New Forests plans to extend the methodology across its global portfolio of 4.4 million hectares, effectively scaling nature intelligence from pilot to enterprise level. This expansion could unlock new revenue streams by monetizing biodiversity outcomes and enhancing the marketability of nature‑based investments. Moreover, the partnership signals a broader industry shift toward standardized, science‑based metrics that satisfy both regulatory expectations and investor appetite for measurable impact. As more capital flows into natural‑capital projects, platforms like NatureHelm are poised to become essential infrastructure for the emerging green finance ecosystem.