How INVL is crafting a 100-year legacy

Imagine planting a forest today that your great-grandchildren could one day walk beneath. That’s the kind of long-term thinking behind the INVL Sustainable Timberland and Farmland Fund II.

In 2020, INVL set out to lead sustainable forestry in the Baltic States and Europe, creating value for landowners while preserving nature. Its long-term approach focuses on 100-year afforestation projects aimed at growing healthy ecosystems by promoting climate and wildlife-friendly practices.

Identifying the right partner for carbon projects

Planning with a 100-year horizon demands careful species selection, attention to detail in soil preparation, continuous management and frequent site visits. So INVL needed a partner who could manage the verification process end-to-end, simplifying it for them so they could focus on land management.

That’s where we came in. Our science-based approach supports INVL’s goal of creating high-integrity projects that last generations. Through tools like the Carbon Opportunity Assessment (COA), we provide insight that guides decisions on species selection, site conditions, and potential risks, all to ensure that the project is built to last.

Figure 1: (not INVL’s land) The COA is a comprehensive land analysis that helps landowners assess their forest's suitability for an afforestation project. Click here to request your tailored report.

For INVL, one tree stands out above the rest: the birch. “It’s the least demanding, grows quickly, and requires little maintenance,” shares the team. “In spring, it is one of the first trees to turn green, and in the autumn, its leaves turn a beautiful yellow colour”.

One such success story is a birch grove planted in the spring of 2023 in the Ukmergė district. A year later, during a routine checkup, the team found the grove had already reached nearly two meters in height, outgrowing the surrounding vegetation that might have overshadowed it. “This plot is an example for us— how quickly a forest can grow when the right tree species is planted in the right place,” they noted.

“Our projects are long-term, 100-year projects, so we pay a lot of attention to preparation, taking into account the changing climate and the recommendations of professionals, and carefully selecting the right species for a particular planting” - Martynas Samuolis, Managing Partner at INVL

Over 1 million trees by 2025

Every year, the INVL team comes together to plant trees, a tradition that has become a core part of their work. But their very first planting event didn’t go quite as planned. Arriving at the site by bus, the team was eager to get started, only to find themselves stuck in the mud before even planting a single tree.

What began as a routine trip quickly turned into an impromptu team effort, as everyone pitched in to push the bus free. It was a fitting start to a hands-on tradition— one that continues to this day, though thankfully with smoother arrivals.

Figure 2: The INVL team pushing the bus after it got stuck near the planting site— an unexpected start to their first annual tree-planting event

To date, the Fund has planted around 200 hectares of mixed forest and over 750,000 trees in total. By the end of 2025, that number is expected to exceed 1 million.

But planting is only the beginning; INVL regularly visits these forests to ensure they grow as intended. The species they plant—birches, pines, and alders—are selected for their climate resilience and carbon sequestration potential, with decisions supported by our analysis.

Its commitment to biodiversity goes beyond planting. The Fund actively protects trees that provide valuable microhabitats, including those with breeding caves, nests, loose bark, and other natural shelters for wildlife. Special attention is given to champion trees, veteran trees, and multi-stem trees, ensuring that existing ecological value is preserved alongside new growth.

“Once we have planted a forest, we visit it regularly and invest in its maintenance. We believe that all these steps will create multiple values for the future, both for the forest owner and for the environment around us,” says Mr. Samuolis.

Figure 3: The INVL team at its annual tree planting event

Looking 100 years into the future

The collaboration between INVL and Arbonics demonstrates how private investment and innovative forestry technology can work together to scale sustainable land management. INVL fund is an example of forward-looking organisation looking to stay ahead of the curve, seeing forests not only as financial assets but also crucial tools in the climate fight.

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