Forest Invest

In this solo episode, I reflect on Posaidon's outlook for nature finance in 2025, highlighting why it's a pivotal moment for forest investment. With rising demand for nature-based climate solutions, global biodiversity concerns, and a shift toward renewable products, forests are uniquely positioned to help asset owners meet fiscal regulatory requirements—while delivering strong returns. Yet, new forest investment strategies are slow to close. Beyond the usual hurdles like track record and pipeline, what about sustainability challenges? I break down five key sustainability reasons your fund isn’t closing — and how to fix them. Plus, I offer a free advisory call for those looking to refine their sustainability approach.If you're raising capital for a forest investment strategy, forest business, or forest assets, and you think part of the reason you might be struggling could be due to sustainability. I'm offering 6 sessions to spring your sustainability into action. Over this free 45 minute advisory call, we'll go over what's working, what isn't, and I'll provide tailored recommendations.Useful resourcesFree advisory call: Click on the link to book a timePosaidon Capital: Nature Finance Market Outlook 2025Production teamHost and Forestry Investment Expert: Shauna Matkovich - The ForestLinkProducer and Editor: Magdalena Laas - Unscripted CreativesTime stamps01:34Quote – Nature Finance Market Outlook 202503:03Interesting time for forest investment (great opportunities) 03:48Questions to ask —  when investment strategy does not succeed in raising capital04:19Sustainability factors holding back forest investment strategy from landing investors05:13Reason # 1: weak sustainability ethos07:04Possible solutions08:22Reason #2: no point of difference in sustainability strategy objectives from peers09:06Possible solutions09:48Reason #3: SFDR Article 8, 9, or EU Taxonomy alignment10:27Overview – SFDR Article 810:38Overview – SFDR Article 910:48EU Taxonomy11:19Possible solutions12:12Reason #4: weak sustainability track record13:06Possible solutions14:33Reason #5: wrong investors15:07Possible solutionsSound libraryNature by MaxKoMusic/SoundcloudSopwell Woodlands and Scohaboy Bog SAC, Cloughjordan, Co Tipperary, IRELAND by wild_rumpus/SoundcloudAmbient Documentary by Sound Guru/Pixabay

Today, Maurice Ryan, Director of Business Development at Green Belt, joins me in conversation. We dig into the voluntary approach of biodiversity net gain that Green Belt applies to some of its forest assets. At this point, biodiversity net gain is not legislated in Ireland as in other jurisdictions. Still, Maurice is finding that some forest owners and capital providers are nonetheless interested in reshaping low-production areas into highly productive ones in nature. We discuss what is needed to scale this approach in Ireland and how encouraging or accelerating natural regeneration is a pragmatic way to restore biodiversity to a site. Maurice explains the breadth of biodiversity data they collect to demonstrate the improvements on the sites where they take this approach. We talk about how to bring this biodiversity net gain approach to other jurisdictions and the importance of stakeholder engagement when defining biodiversity objectives.Getting on the ground and touching, feeling, smelling in a forest is a whole different ball game altogether, you know, and depending on what their mindset is, whether it's a long-term legacy and it's a nature-based project or it’s commercial return, feet on the ground makes all the difference.We like to bring them [investors] on the journey with us because then there's a sense of trust from the off and decision-making then is much easier if they've spent time with us and our foresters on the ground.Useful resourcesGreenbeltMaurice email: maurice@greenbelt.ieApple tree (Malus domestic)Production teamHost/Expert: Shauna Matkovich - The ForestLinkProducer and editor: Magdalena Laas - Unscripted CreativesTimestamps01:50Intro to Maurice and Greenbelt04:20Production forestry in Ireland &08:33Definition of biodiversity net gain11:27Approach in operations under regulations14:12Main challenges with approach17:16Corporate or institutional investors?19:06Irish governmental initiatives?21:06Best type of land for project24:12Assessments?27:42Costs and additionality?31:48Local land ownership & expansion of more biodiversity-enriching projects36:52Insights gained that can be used by other jurisdictions39:14Exciting time in forestry40:23Actionable advice41:34Contact detailsSound libraryNature by MaxKoMusic/SoundcloudSopwell Woodlands and Scohaboy Bog SAC, Cloughjordan, CoTipperary, IRELAND by wild_rumpus/Soundcloud

Today, I’m joined by Dr. Elias Ayrey, co-founder and chief science officer, and Mary Ignatiadis, forest economics and policy expert at Renoster. In this conversation, we view forest carbon investing through the lens of change theory. We talk about the long-term opportunity cost of forest carbon projects, and what investors need to consider to ensure that these projects are truly a solution for integrated forest landscape improvement. We discuss the essential distinctions between objective setting in markets like the US versus the Global South, and considerations for large, institutionally owned land versus smallholder-owned land. We tackle the controversy around generating carbon credits from commercial plantation forestry head-on. And, of course, we learn about Renoster and its essential work in helping investors and carbon credit buyers do due diligence on the quality of forest carbon projects.We can't ignore all the economic evidence that creating demand for wood products results in more forest investment and therefore more carbon storage, and until carbon prices increase dramatically, could be a better way to ensure long term carbon storage than carbon credits alone.It's worth considering if an investor is looking specifically at the forest base and at nature-based climate solutions that you should really think about whether having multiple different kinds of forest investments might contribute to a greater overall impact.ResourcesRenosterLEAF CoalitionSymbiosis CoalitionTrees: American chestnut (Castanea dentata) & Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)Production teamHost: Shauna Matkovich - The ForestLinkProducer and editor: Magdalena Laas - Unscripted CreativesTimestamps01:44Elias’ professional background & Renoster03:05Mary’s professional background & Renoster05:34Long term impacts should investors consider? Understand complete theory of change09:13But, what is the reality?11:28Investor coalitions13:44How would KPIs differ depending on the context, including small hold participants? (US market)16:48And any differences between the Global North and South?19:43Different KPIs in these regions?22:36Need both productive active timber management and forest carbon management25:30Balance between raising the value and bringing down costs30:10Percentage of these are avoided deforestation projects versus afforestation reforestation projects?34:47Questions of additionality and leakage are inherently financial36:08Carbon credits today37:32Applications of tools in Renoster’s work?39:04Project developers or buyers?39:28 Future of carbon markets43:05 Future of Renoster44:09Actionable adviceSound libraryNature by MaxKoMusic/SoundcloudSopwell Woodlands and Scohaboy Bog SAC, Cloughjordan, Co Tipperary, IRELAND by wild_rumpus/Soundcloud

Today, I’m joined by Craig MacKenzie, Senior Lecturer in Nature Finance at the University of Edinburgh Business School. Over Craig’s career, he has worked in asset management and transitioned to academia. He also advises several public bodies on land use change. From this vantage point, Craig shares his insights on the opportunities and challenges for scaling UK Carbon Forestry, where a significant roadblock is attracting institutional investors. We talk about the massive reduction in forest cover that has taken place in the UK over the centuries, and how the UK’s commitment to net zero is starting to reverse this trend. Despite the primarily well-received Woodland Carbon Code (WCC) and other favourable policies, the economics still don’t stack up to meet investors’ return requirements when compared to the risks associated with carbon credit price volatility and the long horizons for generating credits in the UK. But things are changing. Tune in to find out what’s in the pipeline for the sector that may make UK carbon forestry much more attractive to institutional investors, and support turning the UK’s net-zero ambitions into reality.QuoteThe biggest challenge for investors in the UK, in particular, is finding the bandwidth to do the due diligence on the UK kind of situation. So, the actionable advice is, can we find ways to pool the research question so that it isn't every single pension fund having to repeat the same amount of work, the same body of work?Can we create a data room for UK carbon forestry for our big pension funds, so that we can make it easy for the due diligence to happen?I'm quite excited about the potential for UK carbon forestry to move from being uninvestable to being attractive. But it would be tragic if we do that, but then nobody turns up because they just haven't been able to do the work.Useful resourcesCraig Mackenzie on LinkedInRoyal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)UK Woodland Carbon CodeScottish Land CommissionUniversity of Edinburgh Business SchoolPeatlandBeach tree (Fagus sylvatica)Time stamps01:26Craig’s background03:13What encompasses UK carbon forestry 06:38Woodland carbon code07:43UK forest cover10:57Opportunities to diversify/overlap land use (mostly segregated)14:33Invest in UK carbon forestry18:34Benefits/subsidies21:01Capital providers26:08Changes needed to attract more institutional private funding/investment32:51Carbon credits insurance products34:23Woodland Code UK – insurance35:56Biodiversity net gain legislation41:17Actionable advise42:57Contact detailsSound libraryNature by MaxKoMusic/SoundcloudSopwell Woodlands and Scohaboy Bog SAC, Cloughjordan, Co Tipperary, IRELAND by wild_rumpus/Soundcloud

Today, I speak with Jessica Smith, Head of Nature at UNEP Finance Initiative, about the growing private sector interest in nature finance. She highlights the need for a common taxonomy to reduce investment hesitancy and notes that timberland remains a key nature-positive option for institutional investors. We explore the investment gap between the Global North and South, strategies for stakeholder engagement in areas with unclear tenure rights, and how to phase capital across a project’s life cycle. Jessica concludes with a strong call to eliminate deforestation from investment portfolios.Important links:Finance for Nature Positive paperPRB Sector guidance for forestry, agriculture, and miningShort article on this guidanceFinance roadmapCali Card ReportManaging biodiversity risk exposure? Do investors care about biodiversity? UNEP Finance InitiativeJessica Smith on LinkedInFavorite tree: EucalyptusProduction teamHost: Shauna Matkovich - The ForestLinkProducer and editor: Magdalena Laas - Unscripted CreativesDetails01:04Jessica’s background and work03:04Key lessons for nature from global events05:18Finance for nature positive09:04Principles for responsible banking specter action guidance for agricultural, forestry, mining sectors11:12How to  get private investment in nature-based assets15:31Strategies to be nature positive in timber-focus investment21:54What should asset managers look out for? Red flags27:44Importance of data collection32:34Blended finance36:12Attract impact capital & investors as ecosystems in themselves38:53Nature on climate COP agenda 2025 – eliminate deforestation, invest in nature positive solution40:20Actionable adviceSound libraryNature by MaxKoMusic/SoundcloudSopwell Woodlands and Scohaboy Bog SAC, Cloughjordan, Co Tipperary, IRELAND by wild_rumpus/Soundcloud

Today I’m joined by Paul Brannen, Director of Public Affairs at the European Confederation of Woodworking Industries & The European Organisation of Sawmill Industry AND author of a recent book, Timber! How wood can save the world from climate breakdown. In our conversation, Paul digs into the details surrounding the climate benefit of building with wood. We compare the carbon footprints of wood, concrete and steel (did you know that concrete is responsible for 8% of global emissions)! We talk about the cost savings of using wood in the built environment. We explain that despite the financial and climate merits, and supportive regulatory environment – the building sector still suffers from convention and doing things the way they’ve always been done. We discuss the importance of circularity in using wood in construction, and finally – how investors can support the whole value chain for enhanced climate and financial benefit.QuoteAnd the interesting emerging area here for the investor is, while there have been some carbon credit available for a considerable time in relation to carbon stored in the forest, generated by new planting, there will also be carbon credits come in, which will go with the carbon stored in the build environments, the the continuation of the storage from the forests into the build environment.Important linksPaul Brannen on LinkedInBook: Timber! How wood can save the world from climate breakdownThe European Confederation of Woodworking Industries (CEI-BOIS)Favorite tree: Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis)Production teamHost: Shauna Matkovich - The ForestLinkProducer and editor: Magdalena Laas - Unscripted CreativesDetails:02:06Paul’s background05:38The reason behind writing the book 09:39Development of using wood/timber in building homes and construction of bigger buildings16:12Roadblocks to progress21:11Comparison between wood/timber, concrete, and steel re. durability23:44Evidence about carbon footprint between wood vs concrete vs steel30:42Is there a case when wood is not the most sustainable option?37:34Case for sustainable forest management43:53How can we communicate the importance of investing in sustainable forest production 50:56A possibly circular process56:46Actionable advice57:06Contact detailsSound libraryNature by MaxKoMusic/SoundcloudSopwell Woodlands and Scohaboy Bog SAC, Cloughjordan, Co Tipperary, IRELAND by wild_rumpus/Soundcloud