Palm trees are a staple of New Orleans' tropical landscapes. Here, festival-goers lounge in the palm trees in Jackson Square during the first day of French Quarter Fest in April, 2023.

Forest loss there went up 32 percent last year, the highest rate on record for that country. It was one of the few tropical forest countries that did not sign the Glasgow commitment on deforestation.

If interested in renting palm trees or tropical plants in CT, NY, NJ, RI, or Massachusetts, visit www.ctpalmtrees.com CT Palms & Tropicals was founded in 2016 by owner Brandon Hall.

The T.F.F.F. would then reinvest the $125 billion in a diversified portfolio that could generate enough returns to repay investors. The excess returns would be used to pay roughly 70 developing ...