London — May 28, 2026 — The Big Nature Impact Fund (BNIF), led by Finance Earth, has announced its first close at £64.6 million, marking the UK’s first blended nature‑as‑infrastructure fund. The initiative aims to raise between £90m and £120m to support large‑scale projects restoring woodlands, peatlands, and biodiversity across England.
BNIF combines public and institutional investment, with early backers including Defra, Zurich, Admiral, and the Church of England Commissioners. Returns will be generated through the sale of carbon credits and biodiversity units, aligning financial incentives with environmental recovery.
The UK faces one of the most severe nature crises globally, with significant funding gaps for restoration. High‑integrity funds like BNIF are seen as crucial to bridging this gap, leveraging mechanisms such as the Woodland Carbon Code, the Peatland Code, and biodiversity net gain to attract private capital.
For Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, a small investor in the fund, BNIF builds on years of work to strengthen UK nature markets. Past projects include the Wyre Natural Flood Management Project in Lancashire, research into corporate appetite for nature action, and support for NGOs through the UK Nature Accelerator. An independent review of voluntary carbon markets is also set to be published in June 2026.
While UK nature markets are developing rapidly, challenges remain around policy clarity, demand uncertainty, and data access. Esmée and partners are working to strengthen governance, standards, and community benefits to ensure markets deliver meaningful outcomes.
BNIF’s launch signals a new phase in financing nature recovery, with the first projects expected to deliver tangible benefits on the ground. As Sarah Hedley of Esmée noted, “Restoring nature at scale will need significant new sources of long‑term investment alongside public funding and philanthropy.”
