DISCLAIMER: This podcast is not an endorsement for this opportunity, nor is it an investment recommendation or investment advice.

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Generation Forest

Generation Forest on LinkedIn

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

Producer and Editor: Magdalena Laas - Unscripted Creatives

Sound Library

Ecology-Agriculture-Environment via Pixabay

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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

Producer and Editor: Magdalena Laas - Unscripted Creatives

Sound Library

Ecology-Agriculture-Environment via Pixabay

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Symbiosis Coalition

Today, I’m joined by Julia Strong, founder and executive director of Symbiosis Coalition. 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.

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

Producer and Editor: Magdalena Laas - Unscripted Creatives

Nature by MaxKoMusic/Soundcloud

Sopwell Woodlands and Scohaboy Bog SAC, Cloughjordan, Co Tipperary, IRELAND by wild_rumpus/Soundcloud

Ambient Documentary by Sound Guru (Pixabay)

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BIOFIN

Today, I’m joined by Abbie Trinidad, Anabelle Plantilla, and Niran Nirannoot from the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN), 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

Producer and Editor: Magdalena Laas - Unscripted Creatives

Nature by MaxKoMusic/Soundcloud

Sopwell Woodlands and Scohaboy Bog SAC, Cloughjordan, Co Tipperary, IRELAND by wild_rumpus/Soundcloud

Ambient Documentary by Sound Guru (Pixabay)

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CapMan Natural Capital

Today, I’m joined by Jyri Hietala and Tapani Pahkasalo, Managing Partner and Co-Managing Partner of CapMan 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.

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

Producer and Editor: Magdalena Laas - Unscripted Creatives

Nature by MaxKoMusic/Soundcloud

Sopwell Woodlands and Scohaboy Bog SAC, Cloughjordan, Co Tipperary, IRELAND by wild_rumpus/Soundcloud

Ambient Documentary by Sound Guru (Pixabay)

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NatureVest (The Nature Conservancy)

The Cumberland Forest Project

Blended Finance

Today, I’m joined by Greg Meade, Cumberland Forest Project Director at NatureVest. In this conversation, Greg explains how the Cumberland Forest Project was structured as a closed-end private investment fund designed to put conservation and community outcomes on equal footing with financial return. We talk about blended finance, sustainable timber harvesting, carbon offsets, conservation easements, renewable energy, and the project’s community fund in rural Appalachia. Greg also shares what NatureVest has learned from building this model, how the fund is performing relative to US timberland benchmarks, and what investors and forest managers can take away from this whole-forest-value approach.

00:12 – Introduction to Forest Invest

00:34 – Greg Meade’s favorite tree: sourwood

01:32 – Greg Meade’s background in forestry

03:07 – What NatureVest does

03:30 – Overview of the Cumberland Forest Project

04:38 – Fund assets and geography

05:51 – Blended finance and concessional debt

09:49 – Who invested in the fund

11:54 – How the project differs from traditional TIMOs

13:27 – Exit strategy and protecting long-term impact

15:48 – Forest management and revenue streams

18:05 – Community fund and local economies

20:41 – Mineral royalties and reclaimed coal revenue

23:35 – Revenue diversification across the portfolio

26:21 – Investor concerns about geographic concentration

27:40 – Local staff and operational setup

29:54 – Impact outcomes achieved so far

33:37 – Financial performance

34:06 – Lessons learned

38:32 – Advice for replicating the model

40:40 – What’s next for NatureVest

43:37 – Advice for new forest investors

44:52 – Closing remarks

Founding Director and Host: Shauna Matkovich - The ForestLink

Producer and Editor: Magdalena Laas - Unscripted Creatives

Nature by MaxKoMusic/Soundcloud

Sopwell Woodlands and Scohaboy Bog SAC, Cloughjordan, Co Tipperary, IRELAND by wild_rumpus/Soundcloud

Ambient Documentary by Sound Guru (Pixabay)

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Spar Tree Group

Today, I’m joined by David Elstone, managing director of Spar Tree Group and author of View from the Stump. In this conversation, David unpacks the current state of the British Columbia forest sector and explains why this globally important wood basket is facing such intense pressure. We discuss the long decline in timber harvest and lumber production, the legacy of the mountain pine beetle, mill closures, log exports, and the structural differences between BC’s coast and interior. David also shares his perspective on old growth deferrals, First Nations reconciliation, wildfire risk, forest policy, and why a clearer regional economic strategy is needed to make BC forestry more competitive and investable.

0:10 Welcome to Forest Invest with Shauna Matkovich

0:53 David Elstone on his background and Spar Tree Group

3:08 The current state of the forest sector in British Columbia

4:42 Why BC matters in global wood markets

10:23 Log exports, mill closures, and domestic demand

19:45 Internal versus external pressures on BC forestry

25:28 Key actors and the biggest challenges facing the sector

28:48 Policy changes and old-growth deferrals

34:15 Conservation, wildfire, and active forest management

38:17 Private timberland, AAC, and structural change in BC

42:13 Where private investors may still find opportunity

47:07 What would make BC forestry more investable and competitive

50:32 Why there is no single fix for the sector

51:39 David Elstone’s advice for new forest investors

52:53 Where to learn more about Spar Tree Group

53:37 Closing remarks with Shauna Matkovich

Founding Director and Host: Shauna Matkovich - The ForestLink

Producer and Editor: Magdalena Laas - Unscripted Creatives

Nature by MaxKoMusic/Soundcloud

Sopwell Woodlands and Scohaboy Bog SAC, Cloughjordan, Co Tipperary, IRELAND by wild_rumpus/Soundcloud

Ambient Documentary by Sound Guru (Pixabay)

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Biodiversity Credit Alliance

Kratom tree

Today, I’m joined by Manesh Lacoul, Global Coordinator of the Biodiversity Credit Alliance. In this conversation, Manesh explains how biodiversity credit markets are taking shape and why credibility must be built in from the start. We discuss the key lessons emerging from carbon markets, including the need to prioritize integrity, inclusion, equity, and innovation rather than treating them as afterthoughts. Manesh shares how the Biodiversity Credit Alliance is bringing together stakeholders across the market to develop principles, assessment tools, and comparability frameworks that can support high-integrity growth. We also talk about buyer integrity, the different use cases for biodiversity credits, the growing role of governments, and what investors and project developers should be paying attention to as this market evolves.

0:09 Welcome to Forest Invest with Shauna Matkovich

1:14 Manesh Lacoul on his role at the Biodiversity Credit Alliance

3:30 The key actors shaping biodiversity credit markets

5:58 What success looks like: integrity, inclusion, equity, and innovation

7:17 Lessons biodiversity markets should learn from carbon markets

12:44 Inclusion and equity across different local contexts

15:37 Market readiness on the buy and sell side

19:00 Why buyer integrity matters as much as supplier integrity

24:47 How current biodiversity credit buyers are approaching the market

26:52 Where biodiversity credit activity is emerging globally

28:58 The EU roadmap for nature credits

31:14 Biodiversity stacked on carbon credits

32:31 Biodiversity credits versus payment for ecosystem services

35:04 How new buyers, investors, and developers can get started

37:58 Why there are so many methodologies and whether consolidation will happen

41:01 High-level principles, assessment tools, and comparability frameworks

44:10 Why growing government involvement is encouraging

46:02 Advice for forest investors and the role of biodiversity credits in production forests

48:21 Where to find Biodiversity Credit Alliance resources

48:36 Closing remarks with Shauna Matkovich

Founding Director and Host: Shauna Matkovich - The ForestLink

Producer and Editor: Magdalena Laas - Unscripted Creatives

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 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 for more information.