Forest Invest

Generation Forest with Andreas Eke

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is not an endorsement for this opportunity, nor is it an investment recommendation or investment advice. Send an email to sdm@theforestlink.com [sdm@theforestlink.com] to learn how to apply Watch on You Tube [https://youtu.be/s3lDgZcIcJs] The ForestLink newsletter sign-up [https://theforestlink.com/newsletter-sign-up/] Generation Forest [https://generationforestinvest.com/] Generation Forest on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/generationforestinvest/] The Ask: $25M USD to acquire land in Panama and establish more permanent, productive biodiverse forests in Panama Today on Pitch Pod, I’m joined by Andreas Eke, CEO of Generation Forest Invest. In this conversation, Andreas presents Generation Forest’s approach to building permanent, productive, biodiverse forests in Panama through a combination of land acquisition, native species reforestation, carbon finance, and long-term timber management. We discuss how the model is designed to generate returns from both timber and premium-priced carbon credits, while restoring degraded cattle land into permanent forest assets. Andreas explains the organization’s cooperative and institutional investment structures, the role of carbon pre-sales in financing expansion, and the strategy behind building a 50,000-hectare forest corridor supporting biodiversity, watershed protection, and rural livelihoods. We also explore the operational realities of managing mixed-species forestry, land acquisition due diligence, and why biodiversity and permanence may become increasingly important drivers of long-term forest value. Founding Director and Host: Shauna Matkovich - The ForestLink [https://theforestlink.com/] Producer and Editor: Magdalena Laas - Unscripted Creatives [https://www.linkedin.com/in/laasmagdalena/] Sound Library Ecology-Agriculture-Environment [https://cdn.pixabay.com/download/audio/2025/05/31/audio_c1991b2b40.mp3] via Pixabay Sign up now [https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/n6h7o1] for the ForestLink’s newsletter, where you’ll receive technical advice, reflections, and best-practice guidance to support you with your forest-linked investment strategy or business straight to your inbox. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

TRAILER Pitch Pod: Forest Investment Opportunities & Nature-Based Solutions Pitches

www.youtube.com/@Resources_TheForestLink [http://www.youtube.com/@Resources_TheForestLink] The ForestLink newsletter sign-up [https://theforestlink.com/newsletter-sign-up/] Pitch Pod is the new spin-off from Forest Invest, hosted by Shauna Matkovich, showcasing investment-ready forest and nature-based solutions opportunities. Each episode features a project pitch followed by a practical Q&A exploring strategy, impact, scalability, and commercial potential, giving investors, founders, and practitioners a behind-the-scenes look at real-world nature finance deals. New episodes drop alongside Forest Invest, with video versions available on YouTube. Pitch Pod is an awareness platform only and does not provide investment advice or endorsements. Founding Director and Host: Shauna Matkovich - The ForestLink [https://theforestlink.com/] Producer and Editor: Magdalena Laas - Unscripted Creatives [https://www.linkedin.com/in/laasmagdalena/] Sound Library Ecology-Agriculture-Environment [https://cdn.pixabay.com/download/audio/2025/05/31/audio_c1991b2b40.mp3] via Pixabay Sign up now [https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/n6h7o1] for the ForestLink’s newsletter, where you’ll receive technical advice, reflections, and best-practice guidance to support you with your forest-linked investment strategy or business straight to your inbox. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

How Symbiosis is Building Demand for High-Integrity Forest Carbon

The ForestLink newsletter sign-up [https://theforestlink.com/newsletter-sign-up/] Symbiosis Coalition [https://www.symbiosiscoalition.org/] Today, I’m joined by Julia Strong, founder and executive director of Symbiosis Coalition [https://www.symbiosiscoalition.org/]. In this conversation, Julia explains how buyer-led demand can help scale high-integrity forest carbon projects and mobilize capital into nature-based carbon removal. We talk about the role of long-term offtake agreements, the quality criteria Symbiosis uses to evaluate developers, and the common reasons projects fall short in the RFP process. Julia also shares what investors and project developers need to understand about readiness, benefit sharing, and the future of forest carbon as an investable asset class. > “Carbon finance is one of the most promising tools that we have in our toolkit to mobilize billions of dollars for nature, climate, and people. It hasn’t yet lived up to its potential, and that was a key reason for starting Symbiosis.” 00:13 Introduction to Forest Invest 00:34 Julia Strong’s favourite tree 01:21 Julia’s background and the launch of Symbiosis 03:13 Sending a clear demand signal for high-integrity carbon removals 04:17 The four core components of Symbiosis 05:20 Unlocking capital through buyer confidence and quality 07:17 The 20 million ton commitment by 2030 09:42 What makes a developer a good fit for Symbiosis 12:17 How developers can access the Symbiosis RFP 14:42 The chicken-and-egg problem in project finance 17:03 Symbiosis quality criteria and project evaluation 24:01 How the RFP process can help shape the market 25:23 Symbiosis’ role after offtake agreements 26:39 Common reasons projects do not advance 31:01 Why pilots and local track records matter 32:16 Bridge capital and the valley of death 35:01 How long the diligence process can take 37:53 Living Carbon and Mombak project examples 41:27 Building a diversified carbon removal portfolio 43:47 How to accelerate buyer demand 47:09 What is next for Symbiosis 48:00 Advice for new forest investors 49:28 Where to learn more about Symbiosis 49:57 Closing thoughts from Shauna Matkovich Founding Director and Host: Shauna Matkovich - The ForestLink [https://theforestlink.com/] Producer and Editor: Magdalena Laas - Unscripted Creatives [https://www.linkedin.com/in/laasmagdalena/] Nature by MaxKoMusic/Soundcloud Sopwell Woodlands and Scohaboy Bog SAC, Cloughjordan, Co Tipperary, IRELAND by wild_rumpus/Soundcloud Ambient Documentary by Sound Guru (Pixabay) Sign up now [https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/n6h7o1] for the ForestLink’s newsletter, where you’ll receive technical advice, reflections, and best-practice guidance to support you with your forest-linked investment strategy or business straight to your inbox. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

How BIOFIN is tackling the biodiversity finance gap

The ForestLink newsletter sign-up [https://theforestlink.com/newsletter-sign-up/] BIOFIN [https://www.biofin.org/] Today, I’m joined by Abbie Trinidad, Anabelle Plantilla, and Niran Nirannoot from the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) [https://www.biofin.org/], a UNDP-led programme now active in 131 countries. In this conversation, we explore how BIOFIN is tackling the biodiversity finance gap through practical ecotourism and conservation finance models in the Philippines and Thailand. We discuss community-led approaches in Sibalom Natural Park, tourist user charges and coral reef restoration on Koh Tao, and mangrove conservation in Phetchaburi. Along the way, we examine what it takes to attract private sector interest into biodiversity projects, the importance of policy and local institutions, and why conservation is increasingly an economic issue as much as an environmental one. "Conservation is not just an environmental issue, it is actually an economic one" - Anabelle 00:05 – Intro & BIOFIN guests 00:36 – Favourite trees (icebreaker) 01:48 – What is BIOFIN? 05:53 – Why private investment matters 07:56 – Biodiversity investment opportunities 09:13 – Philippines: Sibalom Natural Park 12:11 – Community ecotourism model 18:36 – Early biodiversity outcomes 23:15 – Carbon credits & policy gaps 29:24 – Thailand: Koh Tao case 32:29 – Tourist fee & fintech system 39:00 – Impact: waste & coral recovery 42:03 – Mangroves, co-investment & carbon 48:36 – Key challenges & investor mindset 52:55 – Final takeaway: nature as investment Founding Director and Host: Shauna Matkovich - The ForestLink [https://theforestlink.com/] Producer and Editor: Magdalena Laas - Unscripted Creatives [https://www.linkedin.com/in/laasmagdalena/] Nature by MaxKoMusic/Soundcloud Sopwell Woodlands and Scohaboy Bog SAC, Cloughjordan, Co Tipperary, IRELAND by wild_rumpus/Soundcloud Ambient Documentary by Sound Guru (Pixabay) Sign up now [https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/n6h7o1] for the ForestLink’s newsletter, where you’ll receive technical advice, reflections, and best-practice guidance to support you with your forest-linked investment strategy or business straight to your inbox. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Industrial Buyers in European Forest Investment - with Jyri Hietala and Tapani Pahkasalo

The ForestLink newsletter sign-up [https://theforestlink.com/newsletter-sign-up/] CapMan Natural Capital [https://capman.com/natural-capital/] Today, I’m joined by Jyri Hietala and Tapani Pahkasalo, Managing Partner and Co-Managing Partner of CapMan Natural Capital [https://capman.com/natural-capital/]. In this conversation, we discuss CapMan’s approach to active forest investment management across Europe and unpack the recent sale of a Baltic forest portfolio to Inter IKEA. Jyri and Tapani explain how they build institutional-scale portfolios, create value through forest management, renewable energy, and other ecosystem services, and position assets for different buyer profiles at exit. We also talk about what this transaction may signal for the future of European forest investment. From industrial demand for long-term wood supply to the growing importance of biodiversity, carbon, and natural capital value creation, this episode explores why high-quality forestry assets are attracting attention from both financial and strategic buyers. > "You need to understand who your future buyers are—financial, strategic, or impact-driven—because the way you structure your assets today, including contracts and value streams, can directly influence your exit opportunities.” - Jyri > "This transaction is a strong example of building an industrial-scale portfolio and finding the right buyer who understands the value created—not just in timber, but across the entire asset, including sustainability and long-term management.” - Tapani 0:11 Introduction to the episode 0:20 Meet Jyri Hietala and Tapani Pahkasalo from CapMan Natural Capital 0:37 Favorite trees: pine and cork oak 1:46 Guest backgrounds and introductions 3:52 Why Dassos joined CapMan 7:07 CapMan Natural Capital’s investment approach 9:37 Value creation beyond timber 12:46 Current investment markets in Europe 13:40 The Inter IKEA transaction 14:35 How the Baltic portfolio was built 17:34 Previous owners and local forest management 20:12 Why Inter IKEA was the right buyer 21:22 What made the transaction successful 23:19 What the deal signals for European forestry 25:09 Forest health, bark beetles and wood supply 27:00 Industrial buyers and vertical integration 29:05 Biodiversity and ecosystem services 31:15 How buyer types shape portfolio strategy 37:02 Offtake agreements and exit flexibility 38:03 Why Europe remains attractive for investors 39:32 Advice for new forest investors 40:29 Where to learn more about CapMan Natural Capital Founding Director and Host: Shauna Matkovich - The ForestLink [https://theforestlink.com/] Producer and Editor: Magdalena Laas - Unscripted Creatives [https://www.linkedin.com/in/laasmagdalena/] Nature by MaxKoMusic/Soundcloud Sopwell Woodlands and Scohaboy Bog SAC, Cloughjordan, Co Tipperary, IRELAND by wild_rumpus/Soundcloud Ambient Documentary by Sound Guru (Pixabay) Sign up now [https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/n6h7o1] for the ForestLink’s newsletter, where you’ll receive technical advice, reflections, and best-practice guidance to support you with your forest-linked investment strategy or business straight to your inbox. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.