In a landmark move tying environmental action to corporate responsibility, streaming giant Netflix has entered into a 15-year agreement with the American Forest Foundation (AFF) to purchase verified carbon credits from a reforestation initiative focused on the U.S. South. The credits will be generated through AFF’s Afforestation, Reforestation, and Revegetation (ARR) programme, titled Fields & Forests, which seeks to transform underutilised private fields into climate-resilient forests.

A New Chapter for Family Forest Owners

The American Forest Foundation, established in 1981, is a national conservation organisation that works closely with family forest owners to advance sustainable land management practices. Its latest initiative, Fields & Forests, aims to offer a meaningful climate solution while empowering small-scale landowners. Historically excluded from voluntary carbon markets due to prohibitive costs and administrative hurdles, these landowners now have an opportunity to contribute to climate resilience with AFF covering all upfront costs related to site preparation and tree planting. Enrolled participants also receive technical guidance and annual payments across the 30-year duration of their involvement.

By removing financial and logistical barriers, the project opens up access to a section of rural America that has often been sidelined in broader sustainability conversations. This is not only about storing carbon, but also about reviving local ecosystems, creating economic value for underserved communities, and building long-term natural capital.

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Netflix Provides Critical Early-Stage Capital

Netflix’s investment provides a foundational boost for the project’s scale-up phase. The entertainment company has pledged to help fund the initial 6,000 acres of land conversion and set the stage for a broader rollout. This will contribute toward the project’s 2032 goal of enrolling 75,000 acres, expected to generate around 4.8 million verified carbon credits. The deal also introduces an innovative financing method through milestone-based prepayments, which tie capital injections to specific targets such as the number of acres enrolled or trees planted.

Such early-stage funding is critical for nature-based climate solutions that often face difficulties in accessing capital due to the long timelines involved in realising measurable carbon benefits. Netflix’s role in supporting this project reflects a growing trend among companies to move beyond traditional carbon offset purchases and instead directly back the creation of new climate assets on the ground.

A Model for Corporate Climate Action

John Ringer, Senior Director of Project Finance and Environmental Markets at AFF, highlighted the significance of the partnership as a model for future corporate–nature collaboration. He stressed that science-backed, community-driven reforestation efforts can offer credible carbon benefits while revitalising rural economies.

“Netflix’s partnership shows what is possible when business and nature come together,” said Ringer. “With the right investment and science, natural climate solutions can be both a powerful and credible tool to address our most pressing conservation challenges. We are grateful for Netflix’s leadership and we invite other companies to follow their lead by investing in new approaches that support America’s rural communities and family-owned forests.”

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A Growing Movement in the Carbon Market Landscape

This agreement marks a notable shift in the evolving carbon finance landscape, where companies are seeking high-integrity projects that not only deliver verified emissions reductions but also produce co-benefits for biodiversity, communities, and long-term land stewardship.

As interest in nature-based solutions accelerates, the Fields & Forests model could serve as a blueprint for scaling equitable climate action across geographies. With momentum from private sector partners like Netflix, the American Forest Foundation hopes to expand its reach and deepen its environmental impact over the next decade.

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