This programme aims to go beyond traditional habitat restoration and will work to establish entirely new woodlands across eligible sites totalling at least 1,755 hectares. Aviva’s £38m donation is allowing local Wildlife Trusts to purchase, or long-term lease available land, and then establish rainforest and manage that land in perpetuity. Local Wildlife Trusts are leading on their own sites and projects, with direct support from the programme team operating from the central charity, the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts, and input from their communities. New sites will be seen as a win for conservation and as important hubs for collaboration with local communities including educational opportunities. Local Wildlife Trusts will actively involve communities through planting days, volunteering opportunities, drop-in sessions, and guided walks. 

This programme uses the Woodland Carbon Code (WCC) to validate the carbon credits generated. The WCC is a voluntary code which encourages consistency within woodland creation and carbon projects, while offering transparency to customers too. The process of validation and verification means any woodlands included in the scheme are certified to be sustainably managed according to national standards. This provides reliable, calculated estimates of the amount of carbon that will be sequestered as a direct result of planting new trees. This concept of additionality is vital. To gain carbon credits, it must be clear that all sequestered carbon is a result of new efforts, which would not have come about without the project. Projects involved must also have a long-term management plan and maintain verification for their whole duration. As part of our partnership, all carbon credits established by the planting of temperate rainforest are allocated to Aviva, helping to deliver their net zero ambitions. The credits are only passed to Aviva once they are realised as Woodland Carbon Units. Aviva then immediately retires the units preventing any possibility of secondary trading. By not using Pending Issuance Units (PIUs), this programme ensures the highest standards of transparency and legitimacy. This is important as the restoration of temperate rainforest is a new idea and predictions of carbon returns may differ substantially from the actual units created. Nevertheless, modelling through the WCC contains large risk buffers so we expect actual returns to exceed those predicted. This programme is aligned to the ‘Nature Markets Principles’ guidelines, produced in 2023 by environmental NGOs and investors, to assist with policy development and the creation of high-quality natural capital markets. This is the first use of this code in the creation of temperate rainforest, so we are working closely with the people behind the code to better understand the carbon value of these forests.  

Several actions were implemented through the Jaragua-Bahoruco-Enriquillo Biosphere Reserve, and specifically through its sub-councils that represent the local governments and surrounding communities in the Independencia and Bahoruco provinces of the Dominican Republic.

• Activities to increase awareness of the area and its importance to leaders and key community members
• Information material about the PA (posters, murals, infographics) prepared and distributed in key places (schools, churches, public centers, local public, private organizations and society) 
• Training for local guides, to bolster ecotourism activities and alternative livelihoods
   
  
   

The final product's value is created through sustainable development goals. It is essential this message is passed on to the customer through the acquisition of the product, whether it be furniture, a bracelet or ball pen. 

Significant design and purposing is developed through utilising community skills that already exist. Products developed from recycled and repurposed abandoned nets display local character, flare and application. Incorporating story and background provide introduction to DYI projects available to tour groups and school programs

This building block fosters collaboration among diverse stakeholders to address the structural and systemic issues intersecting gender equality and environmental sustainability. Through activities such as training sessions, conflict management meetings, and leadership support, stakeholders from the gender sector (led by the Division of Gender) and the environmental sector (led by the Ministry of Fisheries) engage in cross-sectoral discussions to align objectives and integrate solutions. For example, fisheries stakeholders provide insights into resource management and illegal practices, while gender sector members contribute expertise on GBV prevention and response mechanisms. The initiative also influences policy by advocating for and supporting the revision of legal instruments like the Fisheries Act and the Anti-GBV Act of 2011, ensuring they address the unique challenges at this intersection. Additionally, technical support is provided for mainstreaming gender considerations in other sectors and integrating cross-cutting issues into broader policy frameworks. By aligning community-level efforts with institutional policies, this approach ensures scalable, sustainable, and contextually relevant interventions.

T his building block focuses on raising awareness and providing tailored gender training to highlight the interconnectedness of GBV, particularly exploitative practices like "sex for fish," and environmental degradation in the fisheries sector. With men dominating fish harvesting and women constituting 90% of post-harvest activities, the sector reveals stark gender dynamics. The initiative educates communities and stakeholders on how these transactional relationships exacerbate resource depletion, harm biodiversity, and perpetuate power imbalances between men and women. Using diverse forms of communication, such as roadshows, community dramas, and GBV Watch Committee activities, the project aims to transform perceptions, foster collaboration, and inspire action to address these interwoven challenges.

This building block focuses on improving the management of GBV cases and facilitating access to justice for survivors within the environmental (fisheries) sector. Given the unique challenges, such as the remote locations of fishing camps and the limited reach of formal judicial systems, this intervention aims to bridge the gap between GBV referral pathways and the Fast Track Court system. Through community-driven mechanisms like GBV Watch Committees and engagement sessions with key stakeholders, survivors are supported in navigating complex legal processes. This initiative also works to raise awareness of the specific dynamics of "sex-for-fish" practices and ensure that judicial actors and environmental agencies collaborate effectively to address these intersecting challenges. 

The cash crop integration component aimed to incentivize tree management by linking reforestation efforts with short-term income generation. Top-performing farmers, assessed based on tree survival rates and GAP training participation, were awarded cash crop inputs such as soya beans and groundnuts. These crops were selected for their adaptability to local soils, market demand, and ability to complement agroforestry systems. Farmers achieved an average 12% increase in soya bean yields (350 kg/acre) and 10% increase in groundnut yields (240 kg/acre), with incomes averaging UGX 1,050,000 ($285) for soya beans and UGX 900,000 ($244) for groundnuts. The inclusion of cash crops encouraged farmers to maintain their agroforestry systems, reducing tree felling for short-term needs.

The primary purpose of tree planting at community level is to achieve large-scale ecosystem restoration while enhancing local livelihoods through agroforestry. The project partnered with four communities to mobilize 425 farmers for tree planting, distributing 73,867 seedlings. Farmers were trained in Good Agroforestry Practices (GAP), including tree planting techniques, mulching, pest and disease management, and soil fertility enhancement. Tree species like Grevillea robusta and Agrocarpus were selected for their fast growth, timber production potential, and ability to improve microclimates and soil structure. Tree planting activities focused on degraded lands prone to erosion and drought, effectively addressing flood control, biodiversity restoration, and ecosystem loss.