# Beyond the Canopy Welcome to Beyond the Canopy — the podcast by OpenForests, where nature takes center stage. From climate finance to forest technologies, from policies to on-the-ground impact — we bring you bold conversations with those shaping the future of nature restoration and conservation. Page: Feed: --- ## Forests: Reasons to be hopeful with Marie-Noëlle Keijzer from WeForest _2026-07-28 · OpenForests_ What does it really take to restore ecosystems at scale, beyond planting trees? In this episode of Beyond the Canopy, we sit down with Marie-Noëlle Keijzer, CEO of WeForest, to talk honestly about the realities of ecosystem restoration. From restoring more than 80,000 hectares to planting over 100 million trees, WeForest’s work reaches far beyond forests, it supports livelihoods, strengthens… [Listen](https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/937162035fdacc41f725e34c6a825af86f4a0885b162172a605237b05abb515b/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiI5MmExYmJjMS05YzcyLTRlNTQtYmFkMS0zYzQwMzI4MzY0NmYiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiI1Nzk0MDE1OS1mMjQ0LTRjYjMtYmZjMy1mZmM3ZGVjMmNmM2QiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OTVjZTkyNDQ4OGI0MjJkZTZhYzBlOTMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNmE1ZjQ4YjUzZGUxZTc0ZDk2ZGFkMjQ0L29wZW5mb3Jlc3Rzcy1zdHVkaW8tY29tcG9zZXItMjAyNi03LTIxX18xMi0yMy00OS5tcDMifQ==.mp3) ## How WWF partners with IKEA and SIG to ACT for FORESTS _2026-06-09 · OpenForests_ What if protecting forests was actually good for business? In this episode, host Alexander sits down with Tim Cronin, Global Lead of WWF's Forests Forward Program, to explore how some of the world's biggest companies — IKEA, SIG, Interulco and others — are turning forest conservation into a core business strategy. From supply chain resilience to regulatory pressure and emerging carbon markets, Tim… [Listen](https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/0c4559770161573a086f9dfacf1424ba8f75c729416b72025aaf697cefc2a840/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiIzYmNmZGYyYi04YmZiLTQxYzgtODlkYS00YjZlMTU3ZjlhN2YiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiI1Nzk0MDE1OS1mMjQ0LTRjYjMtYmZjMy1mZmM3ZGVjMmNmM2QiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OTVjZTkyNDQ4OGI0MjJkZTZhYzBlOTMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNjk2NGNkODAwZjVkNzhjZjdmOGU1ZjFmL29wZW5mb3Jlc3Rzcy1zdHVkaW8tY29tcG9zZXItMjAyNi0xLTEyX18xMS0zMS0yOC5tcDMifQ==.mp3) ## 40 Years Protecting Mexico's Sierra Gorda : Grupo Ecológico Sierra Gorda _2026-05-11 · OpenForests_ What does it take to protect one of Mexico's most biodiverse landscapes for 40 years? In this episode, Alexander Watson speaks with Marta "Pati" Ruiz Corzo, founder and UN Champion of the Earth, and Laura P. Burke Pérez-Arce, president and carbon finance architect of Grupo Ecológico Sierra Gorda (GESG), the organization behind the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, the largest socially managed… [Listen](https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/0051b671d1284d6b37f6fdb722cfe6bacd922f331198745b8d605927f82ea5a2/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiI2OGExY2RjOC04ZWRiLTQzNDEtOWUzMi03ZDgwMWJkYTEyZjEiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiI1Nzk0MDE1OS1mMjQ0LTRjYjMtYmZjMy1mZmM3ZGVjMmNmM2QiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OTVjZTkyNDQ4OGI0MjJkZTZhYzBlOTMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNjlmZGQwODQyZmYyZGUzZDkyNGMwNDIwL29wZW5mb3Jlc3Rzcy1zdHVkaW8tY29tcG9zZXItMjAyNi01LThfXzE0LTEtOC5tcDMifQ==.mp3) ## 250M Trees and a Search Engine That Refuses to Cash Out: ECOSIA _2026-04-21 · OpenForests_ What happens when a search engine gives up its right to ever profit and puts every euro into restoring the planet instead? In this episode, host Alexander Watson sits down with Christian Kroll, founder and CEO of Ecosia, and Pieter van Midwoud, Ecosia's Tree Planting Officer, just days before the company celebrates a landmark milestone: 250 million trees growing across more than 40 countries. But… [Listen](https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/42711fa4743298326360a2e2b2b40eb88bf80c9a078ff005e071e3af20995633/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiI4YTk0ZThhYi03ZjljLTQxZDItOGI1Zi1lYTczYzdhYmRhNjQiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiI1Nzk0MDE1OS1mMjQ0LTRjYjMtYmZjMy1mZmM3ZGVjMmNmM2QiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OTVjZTkyNDQ4OGI0MjJkZTZhYzBlOTMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNjllNzU1MGI4NGU2ZDJiYjM0MDhkNzM2L29wZW5mb3Jlc3Rzcy1zdHVkaW8tY29tcG9zZXItMjAyNi00LTIxX18xMi00NC0yNy5tcDMifQ==.mp3) ## [Tim Christophersen: We're in a Toxic Relationship with Nature](https://beyondthecanopy.simplecast.com/episodes/tim-christophersen-were-in-a-toxic-relationship-with-nature-erPD8w0o) _2025-11-20 · OpenForests_ Welcome to Beyond the Canopy — the podcast by OpenForests, where nature takes center stage. In this episode, host Alexander talks with Tim Christophersen, Vice President of Climate Action at Salesforce and former UN Environment Expert, about his groundbreaking book "Generation Restoration: How to Fix Our Relationship with Mother Nature". Tim, a key architect of the UN Decade on Ecosystem… [Listen](https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/c8cf1cd2ae5b4a06f6fe76b2af2ca5f539fec7c98dc736ac9a3b85231670329c/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiI0YTNmMGU2MC04MmViLTQwNzktOTA2Ny1jYTFhNWU3NTU2ODEiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiI1Nzk0MDE1OS1mMjQ0LTRjYjMtYmZjMy1mZmM3ZGVjMmNmM2QiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OTVjZTkyNDQ4OGI0MjJkZTZhYzBlOTMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvaW1wb3J0cy9wb2RjYXN0cy81Nzk0MDE1OS1mMjQ0LTRjYjMtYmZjMy1mZmM3ZGVjMmNmM2QvZXBpc29kZXMvNGEzZjBlNjAtODJlYi00MDc5LTkwNjctY2ExYTVlNzU1NjgxL2RlZmF1bHRfdGMubXAzIn0=.mp3) ## [The "Fake" Rainforest that pays for itself](https://beyondthecanopy.simplecast.com/episodes/the-fake-rainforest-that-pays-for-itself-1vcno0qv-c8A7EtUP) _2025-09-16 · OpenForests_ In this episode , our host Alexander Watson is joined by Andreas Eke, co-founder of The Generation Forest, a pioneer in tropical forestry with over 30 years of experience. Join us as we explore what makes a high-quality reforestation project. Andreas reveals how they've developed a unique model that blends ecological sustainability with economic viability, creating productive, biodiverse, and… [Listen](https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/aa4066a7a508d38da450ad8f5fc91b2f4cad35fffc159c81ea6f7a6b9745ac50/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiIzNzJhNmIyZC1lZDkzLTRhYmYtODAyOS01M2M4ZWVkNzg0MzAiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiI1Nzk0MDE1OS1mMjQ0LTRjYjMtYmZjMy1mZmM3ZGVjMmNmM2QiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OTVjZTkyNDQ4OGI0MjJkZTZhYzBlOTMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvaW1wb3J0cy9wb2RjYXN0cy81Nzk0MDE1OS1mMjQ0LTRjYjMtYmZjMy1mZmM3ZGVjMmNmM2QvZXBpc29kZXMvMzcyYTZiMmQtZWQ5My00YWJmLTgwMjktNTNjOGVlZDc4NDMwL2RlZmF1bHRfdGMubXAzIn0=.mp3) ## [Ecosia's CIRCULAR Funding](https://beyondthecanopy.simplecast.com/episodes/ecosias-circular-funding-6GPR_cke) _2025-09-16 · OpenForests_ In this episode, Alexander Watson (Founder & CEO, OpenForests) sits down with Mathias Perobelli Schmidt, Agroforestry Investment Specialist at Ecosia, to unpack the concept of Circular Funding—a regenerative finance model that recycles returns into tree-planting, agroforestry, and forest conservation rather than paying dividends. We explore outcome-based loans, how biodiversity and social impact… [Listen](https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/c5540d25a1bd3a6c296699f2b3dee43f66a4a29d3e8b4e041d609a48a861f229/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiJlNTU4NzhmZC0wMmVhLTQ4OGQtOWZhOC1lZmI1MzNiODU5OTgiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiI1Nzk0MDE1OS1mMjQ0LTRjYjMtYmZjMy1mZmM3ZGVjMmNmM2QiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OTVjZTkyNDQ4OGI0MjJkZTZhYzBlOTMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvaW1wb3J0cy9wb2RjYXN0cy81Nzk0MDE1OS1mMjQ0LTRjYjMtYmZjMy1mZmM3ZGVjMmNmM2QvZXBpc29kZXMvZTU1ODc4ZmQtMDJlYS00ODhkLTlmYTgtZWZiNTMzYjg1OTk4L2RlZmF1bHRfdGMubXAzIn0=.mp3) ## [Beyond the Canopy Trailer](https://beyondthecanopy.simplecast.com/episodes/beyond-the-canopy-trailer-o_NMt73_) _2025-09-11 · OpenForests_ Welcome to Beyond the Canopy — the podcast by OpenForests, where nature takes center stage. From climate finance to forest technologies, from policies to on-the-ground impact — we bring you bold conversations with those shaping the future of nature restoration and conservation. [Listen](https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/9dd512d270579d8bd50ad9726489ce83e9e22bffc230fe3b109b854e356c6fe8/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiIyYmM4ODFkZS0xOTY1LTRhNzItOGQ0ZS1kZWY4YjBmOWVlYmQiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiI1Nzk0MDE1OS1mMjQ0LTRjYjMtYmZjMy1mZmM3ZGVjMmNmM2QiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OTVjZTkyNDQ4OGI0MjJkZTZhYzBlOTMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvaW1wb3J0cy9wb2RjYXN0cy81Nzk0MDE1OS1mMjQ0LTRjYjMtYmZjMy1mZmM3ZGVjMmNmM2QvZXBpc29kZXMvMmJjODgxZGUtMTk2NS00YTcyLThkNGUtZGVmOGIwZjllZWJkL2RlZmF1bHRfdGMubXAzIn0=.mp3) ## [Commonland’s 4Returns Funding Approach](https://beyondthecanopy.simplecast.com/episodes/commonlands-4returns-funding-approach-J5Wwmnxu) _2025-08-20 · OpenForests_ In this episode, Alexander Watson (Founder & CEO, OpenForests) sits down with Alejandro Diaz, Landscape Finance Manager at Commoland, to discuss how to unlock substantial fundings for large scale landscape restoration and scape from a project view to a more holistic approach and we'll dive into their 4Returns Funding Approach. [Listen](https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/ff59e3e92a7b60bce29fbb18c297f1bbcc1ccf8881224ab87cac1adfc0e93d66/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiJhNTIwODg1OS05NzFlLTRjMzItOTQyZi1iNmI0OGRiYjRmY2UiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiI1Nzk0MDE1OS1mMjQ0LTRjYjMtYmZjMy1mZmM3ZGVjMmNmM2QiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OTVjZTkyNDQ4OGI0MjJkZTZhYzBlOTMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvaW1wb3J0cy9wb2RjYXN0cy81Nzk0MDE1OS1mMjQ0LTRjYjMtYmZjMy1mZmM3ZGVjMmNmM2QvZXBpc29kZXMvYTUyMDg4NTktOTcxZS00YzMyLTk0MmYtYjZiNDhkYmI0ZmNlL2RlZmF1bHRfdGMubXAzIn0=.mp3) ## [Code Faster with Clear Tutorials (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/6e0xWiP1rOqi) _2025-08-20 · **Sponsored**_ Short, step-by-step coding videos you can follow along ## [What makes a GOOD Carbon Project](https://beyondthecanopy.simplecast.com/episodes/what-makes-a-good-carbon-project-CHhiC0xG) _2025-07-10 · OpenForests_ In this episode, Alexander Watson (Founder & CEO, OpenForests) sits down with Michael Rumberg, Managing Director at Volkswagen ClimatePartner, to answer a critical question: What makes a forest carbon project truly high-quality? You’ll discover: 🌳 What defines real impact — from increasing carbon stocks and biodiversity to earning community trust 🚩 How to spot red flags and manage project risks… [Listen](https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/cd17da5c6cebf9e058c9c128e7eed969f2a98ff63d0c477ffbbcf91497d57829/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiIxMDQ2ZmIyNS00NjlmLTRiODItOGExMS00ODAzOTU1ZGY3Y2UiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiI1Nzk0MDE1OS1mMjQ0LTRjYjMtYmZjMy1mZmM3ZGVjMmNmM2QiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OTVjZTkyNDQ4OGI0MjJkZTZhYzBlOTMiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvaW1wb3J0cy9wb2RjYXN0cy81Nzk0MDE1OS1mMjQ0LTRjYjMtYmZjMy1mZmM3ZGVjMmNmM2QvZXBpc29kZXMvMTA0NmZiMjUtNDY5Zi00YjgyLThhMTEtNDgwMzk1NWRmN2NlL2RlZmF1bHRfdGMubXAzIn0=.mp3)