Tag Archives: Greenwood Management

Business

AAA welcomes New on Institutional investors’ interest in Alternatives

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Figures suggest that over a quarter of all searches carried out by institutional investors, relating to new mandates, are expected to be looking for alternative investments.

Boston, MA, March 30, 2012 – According to new figures from a survey carried out by eVestment Alliance in the US, over a quarter of all searches carried out by institutional investors, relating to new mandates, are expected to be looking for alternative investments. The news has been welcomed by alternative investment advocacy group, Alternative Asset Analysis (AAA), which supports many forms of alternative investments.

eVestment’s Casey Quirk spoke to some 30 investment consultants between December 2011 and January 2012 and found that those surveyed predicted that the alternative sector will be the most popular search category for institutional investors.

“This news is very welcome from our perspective as it illustrates the fact that alternatives are becoming increasingly attractive to institutional investors, as well as individuals, as a way to diversify the risk in a portfolio,” stated AAA’s analysis partner, Anthony Johnson.

The survey found that consultants expect alternative managers to be the subject of more than a quarter of searches carried out by institutional investors looking for new investments. The next two most frequently expected searches were domestic an international equities, which are expected to attract 19 per cent and 14 per cent of searches respectively.

AAA claims that the results show that the popularity of alternative asset classes, such as real estate, hedge funds and private equity, is continuing to grow as a result of the volatile equity markets. “Alternatives, such as hedge funds and real estate, as well as more left field alternatives, such as art, antiques, gold, forestry and even wine, are proving to be much more popular as here is evidence to show they are often outperforming equities in the current economic climate.”

AAA supports a range of alternative and ethical investments and concentrates much of its focus on environmentally responsible sustainable forestry investment, such as the plantation projects run by firms like Greenwood Management in Brazil ,Canada and elsewhere.

Contact:
Anthony Johnson
Alternative Asset Analysis
71 Commercial St
Boston, MA 02109-1320
617-939-9596
info@alternativeassetanalysis.com
http://www.alternativeassetanalysis.com

Business

FRA welcomes Prediction of Timber demand increase

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A recent report in the Financial Times has provided a boost for the forestry investment industry, as it outlines how timber demand could increase by 55 per cent by 2050, according to FRA.

Bainbridge Island, WA, March 29, 2012 – A recent report in the Financial Times has provided a boost for the forestry investment industry, as it outlines how timber demand could increase by 55 per cent by 2050, according to Forestry Research Associates (FRA).

The feature begins by talking about how sustainable forestry investments are “flourishing” as the commodity’s value will rise “exponentially” as demand starts to exceed supply.

The increase in the demand for timber will result from the growing population and the increasing wealth of highly populated nations such as India and China, whose demand for raw materials is on the up as they invest billions in infrastructure and housing.

FRA’s analysis partner Peter Collins said, “We welcome the report from the FT, which plainly advocates investment in sustainable forestry projects as a viable, ethical and profitable alternative to traditional investments, such as stocks and shares, which are anything but reliable in the current economic climate.”

The report explains that biological growth means that tree value rises regardless of the market conditions for timber. When combined with the rising prices that are expected to result from the increase demand, investors could see huge returns for relatively small investments.

The FT also talks about how timber has been the only asset to experience price rises during three of the four market collapses in the past century. Forestry investment has, as a result, begun to attract those who are keen to diversify their investment portfolios with a asset class that is not aligned with general economic trends

Through projects like those run by Greenwood Management in Brazil, individuals can invest as little as EUR 10,000 to buy their own section of plantation land, which will be devoted to growing non-native, sustainable trees for domestic use and export to emerging economies. Mr Collins added, “Sustainable forestry projects also help to add to the earth’s carbon sequestration capabilities and contributes to habitats and green space for people and animals to enjoy.”

Contact:
Peter Collins
Forestry Research Associates
620 Vineyard Lane
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
(206) 316 8394
info@forestry-research.com
http://www.forestry-research.com

Business

College Impact investing challenge welcomed by AAA

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Highlighting the popularity of alternative investments is this year’s International Impact Investing Challenge at Northwestern University and the University of California, which has been welcomed by AAA.

Boston, MA, March 23, 2012 – Highlighting the popularity of alternative investments and impact investing is this year’s International Impact Investing Challenge at Northwestern University and the University of California, which has been welcomed by Alternative Asset Analysis (AAA).

The challenge, run by the universities’ business schools, sponsors some of their brightest and best financial minds to make ethical and profitable impact investing decisions, which will help onlookers to realise the benefits of this approach, according to AAA.

One of the schools involved is the Kellogg School of Management, whose associate director, Jamie Jones, said, “Now in its second year, the International Impact Investing Challenge encourages students from graduate schools around the world to identify strategies that create solutions for global social issues – as well as deliver financial returns.”

AAA’s analysis partner, Anthony Johnson added, “This sums up impact investing very well because making an ethical choice, that will make a difference to people in the developing world, does not have to come at financial price. Positives social impact and healthy returns are by no means mutually exclusive and we’re glad that initiatives like this are helping to spread the word.”

Some of the ideas that the teams came up with last year included dealing with food shortages in India and developing clean power for larger, established economies, like the US. More and more people are realising that their cash can help facilitate environmental or social change, while making them more profit than it would sitting in a savings account, explained AAA.

AAA is an alternative investment advocacy group that also supports impact investment in developing economies around the world. It supports environmentally responsible investment projects such as the plantation schemes run by firms like Greenwood Management in Brazil. “These schemes help to increase plantation timber, which in turn, helps to reduce the reliance on natural forests,” added Johnson.

Contact:
Anthony Johnson
Alternative Asset Analysis
71 Commercial St
Boston, MA 02109-1320
617-939-9596
info@alternativeassetanalysis.com
http://www.alternativeassetanalysis.com

Business

AAA agrees that 2012 could be a Great year for Wine investment

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vAn interview with UK-based wine investment fund, Vin-X’s founder and director, Peter Shakeshaft in myfinances.co.uk has underlined the benefits of investing in wine in the current economic climate, claims AAA.

Boston, MA, March 16, 2012 – An interview with UK-based wine investment fund, Vin-X’s founder and director, Peter Shakeshaft in myfinances.co.uk has underlined the benefits of investing in wine in the current economic climate, claims Alternative Asset Analysis (AAA).

AAA is an alternative investment advocacy group that supports many kinds of alternative investments, including ethical and impact investing. It’s analysis partner, Anthony Johnson, said, “many more investors are looking to alternative assets these days thanks to the volatility of the stock markets. Alternatives such as forestry, wine, art, commodities, currencies and real estate are attractive to those who want to spread the risk in their portfolios and protect against the impact of macro economic factors,” he explained.

Mr Shakeshaft said that investing in wine is a new market and that those who are new to this market will benefit from “dipping their toe” and beginning with investments of around £1,000 to £3,000 to increase their knowledge of the asset class and the market. He went on to add that 2012 could be the best year for investing in wine since 1993. He told myfinances.co.uk: “One reason [that 2012 could be a good year for investment] is that in 2011, the market had only its third price correction in 25 years.

“This means there are some superb opportunities in the market at the moment,” he added.

He also talked about how the consumption of wine in the emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC) is also adding to the value of some high-end wines. He went on to add that the entry level for investment is from around £1,000 and that returns are typically in double digits.

Another popular alternative that has similar entry requirements and returns is forestry investment. Investing in timber, through schemes such as those run by Greenwood Management in Brazil, can offer investors a tangible asset for which demand is growing rapidly, said AAA.

Contact:
Anthony Johnson
Alternative Asset Analysis
71 Commercial St
Boston, MA 02109-1320
617-939-9596
info@alternativeassetanalysis.com
http://www.alternativeassetanalysis.com

Business

Buy Real estate in Brazil, says AAA

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AAA is urging alternative investors to consider buying up real estate in Brazil, as it offers many opportunities for those who want to buy a tangible asset in a growth region.

Boston, MA, March 07, 2012 – Alternative Asset Analysis (AAA) is urging alternative investors to consider buying up real estate in Brazil, as it offers many opportunities for those who want to buy a tangible asset in a growth region.

Brazil, being one of the largest countries in the world, is not short of space and beautiful property. The nation, AAA points out, has also enjoyed major economic growth in recent years, meaning that many in its population have new wealth and a new appetite for real estate as a result. “This is a great time to buy up property in Brazil,” claimed AAA’s analysis partner, Anthony Johnson.

He added, “There is an abundance of property in the coastal regions, and in Rio and Sao Paulo, that all offer a decent investment opportunity for anyone looking to diversify their investment portfolios with a tangible asset class that is less correlated with the equity markets.”

There are several steps that foreigners need to take before buying up Brazilian property, added AAA. These include getting hold of a Brazilian tax registration card, which can be obtained by joining a local Brazilian consulate and having documentation, such as birth certificates, translated into Portuguese. Mr Johnson also warns that it can take up to two months to establish a post office box in Brazil, which is necessary as the card will need to be posted there.

Using a local broker, who speaks English, can be useful to ensure you don’t miss an important element of the transaction process and can also help in sniffing out some of the best deals to be had, added Johnson.

AAA is an alternative investment advocacy group that supports alternative and ethical investments, including sustainable forestry projects in Brazil, such as those run by Greenwood Management. These projects allow foreigners to buy up sections of plantation land for as little as $10,000.

Contact:
Anthony Johnson
Alternative Asset Analysis
71 Commercial St
Boston, MA 02109-1320
617-939-9596
info@alternativeassetanalysis.com
http://www.alternativeassetanalysis.com

Business

Invest in Timber before House Building Boom, says FRA

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Investment site, StreetAuthority.com, claims that there could be money to be made by investing in timber right now, as house building is set to boom in 2013, says Forestry FRA.

Bainbridge Island, WA, March 06, 2012 – Investment site, StreetAuthority.com, claims that there could be money to be made by investing in timber right now, as house building is set to boom in 2013, says Forestry Research Analysis (FRA).

FRA, a research and analysis consultancy, claims that although house building has been very depressed in recent years – with the past three years being the lowest on record for the number of homes built – things could be looking up next year.

Analyst David Sterman, who wrote the article said, “Timber is a highly price-sensitive commodity. When demand marginally outstrips supply, prices can soar.” He added that although many agree that this year will be another slow year for the house building market, 2013 could see a boom, with some analysts claiming that a million new homes will be built in the US between 2014 and 2015.

FRA points out that the article refers to the Guggenheim Timber ETF, which is one of the funds offering forestry investment to those keen to diversify their portfolios with an asset class linked only very loosely to the equity markets. In 2007, Sterman says that the fund is seeing an increase in interest from investors who are once again, seeing timber as a valuable commodity with the potential for massive growth in the coming years.

Sterman said, ‘For example, a 20 per cent upturn in housing construction, coupled with a 30 per cent upward move in timber prices, could yield potentially robust share price gains for these timber producers.’

“This is a great time for timber investments,” claimed FRA’s analysis partner, Peter Collins. He continued “It often represents an ethical option that is a true alternative to stocks and shares at a time when equities look less attractive due to their volatility.”

FRA supports sustainable forestry investment, such as the schemes run by Greenwood Management in Brazil.

Contact:
Peter Collins
Forestry Research Associates
620 Vineyard Lane
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
(206) 316 8394
info@forestry-research.com
http://www.forestry-research.com

Business

AAA welcome Emerald Knight Director’s support of Ethical investments

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AAA has welcomed support for ethical investments from the director of Emerald Knight, Robert Hague.

Boston, MA, March 02, 2012 – Alternative Asset Analysis (AAA) has welcomed support for ethical investments from the director of Emerald Knight, Robert Hague.

The alternative investment advocacy group has spoken out in support of Mr Hague’s assertions that just because an asset class is ethical, does not mean it won’t produce some very healthy yields for investors.

Emerald Knight was initially launched as a provider of ethical investments with the ethos that investing in sustainable, ethical projects can also generate healthy returns. Mr Hague stands by this claim in his recent statement to the press, where he said, “This may sound obvious but many people don’t know, or are just not interested in what happens to their money once they’ve put it in their bank or pension.

“Going down the SRI route allows you to choose exactly how your cash is being invested and what difference it’s making,” he added.

He added that many of those who have invested in ethically, environmentally or socially responsible funds, projects or markets have often see their investment generate better returns that if they had invested in traditional asset classes.

AAA’s analysis partner, Anthony Johnson, agrees with Mr Hague, adding, “There is simply no validity in the argument that you can’t make money by investing in ethical projects or making socially responsible investments.”

AAA claims that it is no longer unusual for investors to look for ethical investments as, with the increase in interest in alternative investments, there has also been a general increase in interest in ethical options as the two things often come hand in hand.

A popular option for ethically minded investors is forestry investment, which can help to support sustainable approaches to forestry all over the world, and particularly in emerging economies. Projects such as Greenwood Management’s plantations schemes in Brazil are popular with individual investors and institutions alike as they only require minimum investments of around $10,000.

Contact:
Anthony Johnson
Alternative Asset Analysis
71 Commercial St
Boston, MA 02109-1320
617-939-9596
info@alternativeassetanalysis.com
http://www.alternativeassetanalysis.com

Business

EU Legislation Outlawing Illegal Timber dealing is welcomed by FRA

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FRA has welcomed the introduction of new legislation in the EU that outlaws the selling of illegally sourced timber.

Bainbridge Island, WA, February 27, 2012 – Forestry Research Associates (FRA) has welcomed the introduction of new legislation in the EU that outlaws the selling of illegally sourced timber.

In a move that FRA claims strengthens the importance of investing in sustainable forestry projects, the EU will introduce its new Timber Regulations in March next year.

The new legislation will make sure firms that trade in timber are forced to check the source of their timber products and make sure they come from sustainably managed forests.

“This can only be good news for the environment and the forestry industry around the globe,” stated FRA’s analysis partner, Peter Collins. He added, “cutting out the trade in illegally sourced timber in Europe is essential to the fight against climate change and also for the sake of consumers who would hate to think they are encouraging deforestation when they purchase a new piece of furniture from a European retailer.”

FRA claims that as the opportunity to sell illegally sourced timber products reduces, the demand for timber produced from sustainably managed plantations will increase. “This is great news for forestry investors who have put their cash into plantation schemes at home and abroad,” added Mr Collins.

An example of this kind of project is the one run by Greenwood Management in Brazil. Greenwood offers investors the chance to invest in a section of plantation in Brazil for as little as $10,000. The plantation grows fast-growing non-native trees like teak and eucalyptus, whose wood is prized for its use in furniture making and in the production of coal for the steel industry.

The project is sustainable because the trees are harvested when they reach maturity but there are other trees being grown to replace them in a cycle model.

Those who are found to be dealing in illegally sourced timber after March 2013 will be fined the value of the damage the incident has caused to the environment, along with the value of the timber in question.

Contact:
Peter Collins
Forestry Research Associates
620 Vineyard Lane
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
(206) 316 8394
info@forestry-research.com
http://www.forestry-research.com

Business

Huffington Post Blog advocates Impact investment says AAA

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Alternative investment advocacy group AAA says that a recent blog in the Huffington Post offers a great endorsement of impact investing.

Boston, MA, February 23, 2012 – Alternative investment advocacy group, Alternative Asset Analysis (AAA), says that a recent blog in the Huffington Post offers a great endorsement of impact investing.

It explains how impact investment funds have an ethos of “doing good while doing well”, which highlights the fact that making profits and choosing ethical investments are not mutually exclusive.

The Huffington post blog explains that impact investing combines investment in projects that contribute to social and environmental good, and investing for maximum risk-adjusted returns. Although this is a somewhat unusual combination, it often works and is increasing in popularity among those who want to make a difference while making money.

AAA’s analysis partner, Anthony Johnson, said, “It’s really quite unbelievable that this kind of investment option is only just taking off.

“The model is quite simple, those with money to invest help those without money to make money by providing funding and the profits are then shared.”

Examples include housing projects, forestry projects, small loans for small businesses and farm investments. Most of these funds are setup in developing countries and most investors come from developed countries.

The level of return on impact investment funds differs dramatically but many investors put the social impact of a fund ahead of financial gains, in a refreshing turnaround to the norm.

“It’s not just small-time investors that are getting into impact investing,” said Mr Johnson. “Many of the world’s richest philanthropists are ploughing their money into socially and environmentally responsible projects.” An example is the $3 billion Rockerfeller Foundation. Bill Clinton is also a keen advocate of impact investment.

AAA supports ethical investment in many different forms. It advocates investing in environmentally friendly projects, such as sustainable forestry, through schemes like the teak, eucalyptus and other non-native tree plantations run by Greenwood Management in Brazil. “These projects offer a tangible option for smaller-scale investor,” added Johnson.

Contact:
Anthony Johnson
Alternative Asset Analysis
71 Commercial St
Boston, MA 02109-1320
617-939-9596
info@alternativeassetanalysis.com
http://www.alternativeassetanalysis.com

Business

FRA Claims Protecting Indigenous Rights is Vital to REDD+ scheme

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FRA claims that the REDD+ project is more than just about preventing deforestation and has backed a statement from a high profile member, who talks about the importance of helping those living in and around the forests.

Bainbridge Island, WA, February 21, 2012 – Forestry Research Associates (FRA) claims that the REDD+ project is more than just about preventing deforestation and has backed a statement from a high profile member, who talks about the importance of helping those living in and around the forests.

Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, one of the leaders of the REDD+ task force in Indonesia, has spoken out to highlight the fact that the campaign should be just as much about safeguarding the rights of indigenous people as preventing deforestation.

He stated, “It’s not as simple as the destruction of forests by logging companies. That certainly happens, but the real issue in REDD is poverty, and we must link the two together.”

FRA, which is a research and analysis consultancy, and Mangkusubroto, agree that poverty has become rife in some regions that have experienced a high level of deforestation due to the failure to recognise indigenous peoples’ land rights.

FRA also points out that these kinds of land rights issues can occur as a result of REDD+ measures. Mangkusubroto points out an example that occurred in Sumatra, where an indigenous population were told to move away from their homes as the forest land they lived in was designated a conservation area. Mangkusubroto was keen to point out that he intends to avoid these kinds of measures being introduced. He stated, “We will not implement a ‘father knows best’ approach, but instead we’ll do this cooperatively.”

FRA supports sustainable forestry investment schemes that help to safeguard valuable forests in developing countries. An example is the non-native forestry plantations grown by Greenwood Management in Brazil. The growth of non-native trees for use as charcoal by the domestic steel industry, can help reduce the reliance on native trees. Peter Collins, AAA’s analysis partner explained, “This kind of scheme helps local people realise the value of their standing forests.”

Contact:
Peter Collins
Forestry Research Associates
620 Vineyard Lane
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
(206) 316 8394
info@forestry-research.com
http://www.forestry-research.com