SYPA Commits £50 Million to Gresham House's Innovative Forest Investment Strategy

In 2022, Gresham House embarked on a strategic journey to establish its Forest Fund, aiming to deliver solid and diversified returns for investors, bolster biodiversity, and reduce emissions. This ambitious plan quickly garnered attention and support from notable investors.

The South Yorkshire Pensions Authority (SYPA) recently committed a substantial £50 million to this forestry strategy, demonstrating confidence in its potential. This investment complements earlier contributions from the Worcestershire Pension Fund and various high-net-worth individuals, underscoring widespread endorsement of the fund's objectives.

The Gresham House Forest Fund currently stands at an impressive £150 million. With additional funding rounds anticipated, the fund's value is poised to grow further, promising significant environmental and financial impacts.

SYPA director George Graham said: "Forestry has an important role to play in our portfolio as we build out our natural capital allocation. Importantly, it offers a resilient, diversified source of returns while supporting our net-zero journey and efforts to combat climate change and support biodiversity. Gresham House's experience and track record in managing forestry assets makes this strategy a natural choice for SYPA."

Gresham House managing director for forestry, Olly Hughes, added: "We continue to see strong appetite from institutional investors for forestry investments, and it is testament to Gresham House's expertise in this area that SYPA has chosen to make this significant commitment to [our] forest fund.

"As global timber demand continues to rise, we anticipate interest in our forestry strategies will remain strong for the foreseeable future, and we look forward to welcoming further investors in due course."