Nature Calling: The Guide for Aspiring Changemakers to Forge Sustainability & Climate Change Careers

Episodes

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  #95. Forest Therapy 5: Ways the Pleasures of Presence Help You Reconnect With Nature 05.11.2026 17m

  What if the key to feeling more connected to nature and yourself was simply learning to be present?In our busy lives, it's easy to get caught up in constant thinking, rushing from one task to another, and experiencing the world primarily through our eyes. But what happens when you slow down, tune into your body, and engage all your senses?In this episode of Nature Calling, discover the beautiful forest therapy invitation known as The Pleasures of Presence. Through a gentle guided experience, you'll explore how to reconnect with your body, become more aware of your surroundings, and find moments of calm wherever you are.Whether you're sitting in a forest, relaxing at home, or taking a break at the office, this invitation encourages you to pause and rediscover the world around you.In this episode, you'll discover how to:Reconnect with your senses: Explore how listening, smelling, tasting, touching, and observing can help you become more present in your surroundings.Find calm amid a busy day: Use gentle breathing, body awareness, and mindful observation to slow down your thoughts and experience relaxation.Deepen your connection with nature: Experience a playful imagination exercise that invites you to see the world through the eyes of a small forest bird and appreciate your connection with the natural world.Give yourself 10–15 minutes to experience this gentle invitation and discover the simple joy of being fully present.Tune in to this episode of Nature Calling and experience the Pleasures of Presence for yourself.
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  #94. The Ten Steps That Will Launch Your Sustainability And Climate Change Career 03.11.2026 16m

  What does it really take to build a meaningful career in sustainability and climate change?Breaking into the sustainability and climate change space can feel overwhelming. With so many possible paths, opportunities, and challenges, how do you know where to start and which direction to take?The answer isn't necessarily having the perfect qualifications, landing the ideal job, or having your entire career mapped out.In this episode, discover the 10 steps I've followed throughout my life to build a successful sustainability and climate change career. From understanding your personal values and identifying what truly drives you to trusting your instincts, gaining real-world experience, and stepping forward when opportunities arise, these lessons can help you find your path and make a meaningful impact.You'll also discover why learning to recognize resonance and dissonance in your body can help you make better career decisions, and why taking action is often more important than waiting until you feel completely ready.In this episode, you'll learn:How to discover what truly drives you: Understand your core values and identify the environmental or climate issues that genuinely ignite your passion, giving you a clear sense of purpose and direction.How to recognize the right opportunities: Learn to navigate using resonance and dissonance, trust your instincts, and recognize when a career opportunity aligns with who you are.How to create opportunities and build credibility: Discover why gaining practical experience, experimenting with different opportunities, and stepping forward can help you develop the skills, reputation, and connections needed to grow your career.Whether you're just starting out, considering a career change, or looking for a renewed sense of purpose in your current role, these 10 steps will give you a practical framework for moving forward.Ready to build a sustainability and climate change career that aligns with your values and makes a real difference? Tune in to discover the 10 steps and start creating your own path today.
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  #93. Forest Therapy 4: What a Walk in the Woods Can Teach You 29.10.2026 7m

  These forest therapy sessions are here because finding your sustainability career path is not just an intellectual exercise. It requires calm, connection and the ability to hear your own inner compass. Nature gives us that. So come with me and let’s explore.Time to step away from the noise and into the forest, dial into your intuition and let it guide you to your sustainability and climate change career goals.What if a few quiet moments in nature could help you slow down, reconnect with yourself, and see the world around you differently?In this episode of Nature Calling, join a peaceful forest walk to observe the remarkable rhythms of nature, from beech seed pods bursting open to insects exploring spruce cones. These small details reveal a forest that is constantly changing, growing, and preparing for the next generation.Through forest therapy and mindful breathing, you'll be invited to pause, appreciate the natural world, and reflect on the importance of self-care in a busy life. You'll also hear observations about the effects of climate change on mountain forests, including how rising temperatures may be influencing seasonal changes and affecting spruce trees.You don't need access to a forest to experience the benefits of this practice. Whether your special place is a garden, the seaside, or somewhere you can simply close your eyes and imagine, there's an opportunity to stop, breathe, and rest.In this episode, you'll discover:How to practice forest therapy anywhere: Use mindful observation and imagination to reconnect with nature, even when you can't visit a forest.Why small details matter: Notice the seeds, cones, and seasonal changes that reveal the extraordinary life and resilience of forest ecosystems.How to make self-care part of your day: Create space to pause, breathe, and recharge, even when life feels busy and overwhelming.Take a few minutes for yourself, listen to this peaceful forest reflection, and discover how reconnecting with nature can bring a little more calm and awareness into your everyday life.
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  #92. How Nature Helped Me Find Meaningful Work - and a 40-Year Sustainability Career 27.10.2026 13m

  How can spending time in nature help you find meaningful work and build a career that makes a lasting difference?In this episode, I share how nature connection has guided me throughout my 40-year sustainability career, helping me find clarity, follow my inner compass, and stay committed to protecting the natural world.From a childhood sanctuary beside a pond in rural Australia to a life dedicated to sustainability and climate action, my experience has taught me that connecting with nature is about much more than relaxation. It can help us discover what matters most, recognize opportunities, and find the inspiration to make a meaningful contribution.You don't need to live near a remote forest or beautiful coastline to experience these benefits. Whether you're in a city, at your desk, or on your way to work, small moments of nature connection can help you slow down and reconnect with yourself.In this episode, you'll discover:How to find your inner compass: Learn how time in nature can create calm, help you recognize your values, and guide you toward work that feels meaningful.How nature connection inspires purpose: Discover how appreciating the beauty of the natural world can motivate you to protect it and make a positive difference.How to connect with nature wherever you are: Explore simple ways to notice trees, birds, clouds, and other natural beings, even when you live in a busy city or spend most of your day indoors.Whether you're starting a sustainability career, considering a career change, or looking for renewed purpose after years in another profession, this episode offers a reminder that it's never too late to make a meaningful contribution.Listen to the episode and explore how spending time in nature can help you find your direction.Ready to discover what matters most to you?Take the Inner Compass quiz to explore your values and gain a clearer sense of direction for your personal and professional journey.👉 Take the Inner Compass Quiz
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  #91. Forest Therapy 3: How Nature Therapy and Mindfulness Help You Find Stillness Amid the Climate Change Crisis 22.10.2026 7m

  These forest therapy sessions are here because finding your sustainability career path is not just an intellectual exercise. It requires calm, connection and the ability to hear your own inner compass. Nature gives us that. So come with me and let’s explore.Time to step away from the noise and into the forest, dial into your intuition and let it guide you to your sustainability and climate change career goals.What if a few quiet moments in nature could help you reset your mind and reconnect with what matters?When the world feels busy and the climate crisis weighs heavily on your mind, it's easy to forget to pause, breathe, and simply be present.In this peaceful episode of Nature Calling, join a gentle morning nature break in the Swiss Alps overlooking Lake Geneva. Through the sounds of the waking world, the stillness of the water, and the first light of sunrise over Mont Blanc, you'll be invited to slow down, breathe deeply, and give yourself a moment of calm.Whether you're building a sustainability career, working toward meaningful climate action, or simply navigating a busy day, this short nature therapy experience offers a reminder that caring for yourself is part of creating a more sustainable world.In this episode, you'll discover how to:Find calm amid the chaos: Use mindfulness and an imaginative nature experience to pause, breathe, and quiet a busy mind.Reconnect with the natural world: Notice the sights and sounds around you and rediscover the restorative power of everyday nature.Build small moments of well-being into your day: Create your own nature breaks, even when you can't get outside, to feel more grounded and refreshed.Take a moment for yourself. Press play, settle in, and let this peaceful morning in Switzerland help you slow down, reconnect with nature, and return to your day with a little more calm and clarity.
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  #90. How Knowing Who You Are Unlocks Your Sustainability Career 20.10.2026 16m

  What if the key to unlocking your sustainability career isn’t finding the right job, but understanding who you are?Discovering your personal values can help you make career decisions that align with who you truly are, identify opportunities that energize you, and build a more fulfilling career in sustainability and climate change.In this episode, you’ll learn a practical exercise to uncover your core values, recognize when your choices align with them, and use that understanding to guide your next career move.In this episode, you’ll discover how to:Identify your core values: Use a simple pen-and-paper exercise to uncover what matters most to you and distinguish your non-negotiable values from those that are more flexible.Make career decisions with greater clarity: Recognize the difference between resonance and dissonance to identify opportunities that align with your values and protect your well-being.Build a more authentic sustainability career: Use your values to guide your choices about jobs, internships, education, and career paths so your enthusiasm and genuine motivation shine through.Your values can be your compass, helping you move toward work that feels right and away from opportunities that leave you feeling disconnected.Listen to the episode to discover your personal values and learn how to use them to unlock a more meaningful sustainability career.Ready to discover what matters most to you?Take the Inner Compass quiz to explore your values and gain a clearer sense of direction for your personal and professional journey.👉 Take the Inner Compass Quiz
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  #89. Forest Therapy 2: 3 Ways Nature Therapy Can Help You Practice Mindfulness and Start Connecting with Nature 15.10.2026 7m

  These forest therapy sessions are here because finding your sustainability career path is not just an intellectual exercise. It requires calm, connection and the ability to hear your own inner compass. Nature gives us that. So come with me and let’s explore.Time to step away from the noise and into the forest, dial into your intuition and let it guide you to your sustainability and climate change career goals.Have you ever stopped to listen to a thunderstorm and felt the world slow down around you?In this episode of Nature Calling, take a moment to pause, breathe, and reconnect with the natural world through the sights and sounds of a summer storm. Listen to the distant thunder, imagine flashes of lightning across the sky, and feel the gentle rhythm of rain bringing relief to trees and wildlife after months of heat.This guided nature therapy experience invites you to practice mindfulness, revisit memories of storms from your past, and appreciate the incredible resilience of the natural world. Whether you're at home, at work, or simply looking for a quiet moment in a busy day, let this episode help you reconnect with yourself and the environment around you.In this episode, you'll discover:How to find calm through mindfulness: Use the sounds of thunder and rain as an invitation to slow down, breathe deeply, and be present in the moment.How connecting with nature can awaken meaningful memories: Reflect on past experiences of storms, the feelings they brought, and the beauty of experiencing nature firsthand.Why nature's resilience matters: Witness how rain offers relief to trees and wildlife after extreme heat, reminding us of the importance of caring for the natural world.Give yourself permission to pause, listen, and simply be.Tune in to this nature therapy experience and discover how a few quiet moments connecting with nature can bring greater mindfulness, perspective, and a renewed appreciation for the world around you.
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  #88. Why Your Values Are the Only Sustainability and Climate Change Career Compass You’ll Ever Need & How To Use Yours Today 13.10.2026 14m

  Are you feeling completely lost in your pursuit of a sustainability or climate change career?You may have studied the right subjects, applied for jobs and internships, followed the right people, and still feel like you can't find your way in. With increasing competition and the overwhelming reality of climate change, it's easy to move from disappointment to despair and eventually feel completely lost.But what if feeling lost isn't a sign that you're failing? What if it's actually part of the journey—and an opportunity to reconnect with what truly matters to you?In this episode, you'll discover why Your Values Are the Only Sustainability and Climate Change Career Compass you need to begin finding your way forward. You'll learn how to recognize resonance and dissonance, listen to your inner guidance, and use your values to navigate the many possible paths within sustainability and climate change.By listening, you'll learn how to:Reframe feeling lost as a natural and potentially important part of your sustainability career journey rather than a sign that you've failed.Use resonance and dissonance to recognize when a career, opportunity, organization, or path aligns—or conflicts—with your values.Start identifying your values so you can use your own inner compass to decide which sustainability and climate change opportunities are worth pursuing.If you're feeling lost or uncertain about where your sustainability career is taking you, listen to this episode to reconnect with your values and start finding your way forward.
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  #87. Forest Therapy 1: Why Your Best Stress Relief Might Not Come From Your Screen—Take a Forest Snack Into Nature 08.10.2026 7m

  These forest therapy sessions are here because finding your sustainability career path is not just an intellectual exercise. It requires calm, connection and the ability to hear your own inner compass. Nature gives us that. So come with me and let’s explore.Time to step away from the noise and into the forest, dial into your intuition and let it guide you to your sustainability and climate change career goals.In this Forest Snack episode of Nature Calling, you’re invited into the quiet of a Swiss forest at sunrise. There’s no lesson to learn or problem to solve—just the gentle sound of a stream, the breeze moving through the beech trees, birds in the distance, and the early morning light over the Alps.If your days feel busy, stressful, or overwhelming, this short nature therapy session gives you permission to pause, breathe, and reconnect with the natural world. You don’t need to be in Switzerland to experience it. Wherever you are, you can use this Forest Snack as an invitation to remember your own places of calm in nature.By listening, you’ll:Create a moment of stress relief and let some of the pressure and busyness of your day fade away.Reconnect with nature through mindful attention to sounds, movement, light, air, and the forest around you.Carry a sense of calm into the rest of your day, giving yourself something peaceful to return to when life gets hectic.Press play, slow down, breathe with the forest, and give yourself a few quiet minutes of stress relief through nature.
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  #86. Why Now Is the Worst Time to Abandon Your Sustainability Career 06.10.2026 14m

  What if the world feels like it’s moving backwards on climate change—but your nature calling is still telling you to make a difference?With sustainability roles being cut, climate commitments being rolled back, and climate disasters becoming harder to ignore, it’s understandable to wonder whether there’s still a place for you in climate change work.But this episode takes a longer view.Looking back over four decades of sustainability and climate change action, this episode explores how the field has evolved—from a time when sustainability teams barely existed to today’s rapidly changing landscape of corporate sustainability, regenerative approaches, circular economy thinking, technology, community action, and climate-focused work.You’ll discover:Why today’s setbacks don’t mean the end of climate change action — and what the history of the sustainability movement can teach you about periods of backlash and transformation.Where new opportunities are emerging — from corporate roles and technology to community initiatives, regeneration, and creating opportunities for yourself.Why your nature calling still matters — and how staying connected to your values can help you keep moving toward a career where you can make an impact.If you’ve been questioning whether there’s still a place for you in climate change work, listen to this episode for the perspective and encouragement you need to keep pursuing your nature calling and find your path forward.
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  #85. What a Winter's Morning Walk in a Swiss Forest Can Do for Your Soul and Your Sustainability Career Clarity 29.04.2026 17m

  What if the clarity you have been searching for in your sustainability career is not found at a desk or on a screen, but somewhere much quieter?This episode is an invitation to slow down.Scott Poynton takes you on his morning walk through the frost covered forests above his village in the Swiss Jura Mountains, as the sun rises over Mont Blanc and the Alps, woodpeckers drum overhead and snowdrops emerge from the forest floor after a week of rain.You will discover:How a simple morning walk in nature can quiet the noise of anxiety and uncertainty and bring a deep sense of calm and connectionWhy spending time in nature without headphones or distractions is one of the most powerful tools an aspiring changemaker has for finding clarity on their pathHow climate change is already reshaping the forests of Europe, and what that means for the world we are working to protectIf you've been feeling overwhelmed by your sustainability career search, press play, put your headphones in, and walk with Scott for a while.
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  #84. Humans Are Ecosystem Engineers. So What Happened to Our Sense of Responsibility? 14.01.2026 58m

  What if restoring nature isn’t just about saving the planet but about restoring our own future?What would happen if we stopped seeing nature as something separate from us and started recognizing ourselves as part of it- and as responsible stewards of the ecosystems that sustain us?In this episode, Scott Poynton speaks with Tim Christophersen, author of Generation Restoration: How to Fix Our Relationship Crisis with Mother Nature. Drawing on decades of work with the UN, conservation organizations, and now the private sector, Tim shares why he believes ecological literacy is something everyone needs- and why the growing restoration movement offers genuine reasons for hope.You’ll discover:How a childhood pond restoration project shaped Tim’s lifelong relationship with nature—and taught him how quickly ecosystems can respond when humans work with them.Why understanding how much nature we have already lost is essential to recognizing what restoration can make possible.How changing our perception of humans as separate from nature could transform the way we approach conservation, agriculture, business, and economic development.Press play to discover how restoring our relationship with nature can create practical opportunities for healthier ecosystems, stronger communities, and a more hopeful future.
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  #83. Can a Law Designed to Protect Forests Actually Make Deforestation Worse? 11.01.2026 25m

  Can a law designed to stop deforestation actually make deforestation worse?The European Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) was created with a clear goal: prevent commodities linked to deforestation from entering the European market. But what happens when a regulation designed in Europe meets the realities of smallholder farmers in tropical countries?In this episode, Scott Poynton draws on decades of experience working on forest protection and responsible sourcing to examine the EUDR from the perspective of the people at the far end of global commodity supply chains. He explores the regulation's potential unintended consequences, including the risk that farmers excluded from European markets could turn to other markets—or clear more forest to compensate for lost income.Scott also reflects on lessons from the early no-deforestation commitments involving companies such as Nestlé, Golden Agri-Resources, Asia Pulp & Paper, and Wilmar, and asks whether the collaborative approach that emerged from those processes could offer a better path forward.Listeners will gain:A clearer understanding of why implementing the EUDR is proving so difficult - and why traceability and land-use rules create particular challenges.Insight into how the regulation could affect smallholder farmers whose livelihoods depend on expanding or improving agricultural production.Lessons from previous company-NGO negotiations that demonstrate how farmers, businesses, governments, and environmental organizations might work together rather than treating forest protection as a simple black-and-white problem.Play the episode to explore the complex reality behind the EUDR and discover why protecting forests may require listening more closely to the farmers who depend on them.
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  #82. What Happens When a Village in Northern Ghana Tries Biochar for the First Time? 09.10.2025 19m

  What can farmers discover when they put biochar to the test in their own fields - and could this simple agricultural waste product help build more resilient soils?In the small village community of Nakpatua in northern Ghana, farmers are facing degraded soils, changing rainfall patterns, and the ongoing challenge of improving their livelihoods. Biochar offers a potential way forward by helping soil hold water and nutrients while giving farmers a material they can produce themselves from agricultural waste.In this episode, Scott Poynton takes you directly into the community, where farmers share their own questions, experiences, and expectations as they begin experimenting with biochar on their crops. Rather than simply explaining the science, this conversation captures what happens when farmers get the opportunity to test a new approach in their own fields.By listening, you’ll discover:How farmers in Nakpatua are planning to use biochar alongside manure on crops such as maize and okra.Why the farmers are interested in biochar’s potential to improve water retention, nutrient availability, and crop productivity.What their early questions and observations reveal about building practical, farmer-led approaches to improving soil health and resilience.Play the episode to hear directly from farmers in northern Ghana as they begin their biochar journey and explore what this simple material could mean for their fields and livelihoods.
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  #81. Why 39% of Children Under Five in Northern Ghana Are Stunted and What It Has to Do with Climate Change 09.09.2025 5m

  Nearly 40% of children under five in parts of northern Ghana are mentally and physically stunted, and climate change is making it worse.This short episode comes straight from a yam field in northern Ghana, where farmers are working incredibly hard to feed their families through months of dry season when there is no other food.You will discover:Why farming families in northern Ghana spend months living off cassava and yams, and why that creates a hidden nutrition crisis that is stunting children's developmentHow climate change is making an already fragile agricultural system even more unpredictable as rains arrive later and less reliably each yearHow biochar work on the ground is trying to help farmers improve their yields, their soils and ultimately their livesThis is what climate change looks like at the frontline, with real people, in a real field, right now.
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  #80. Why Making the Business Case for Nature Has Failed Us and What We Need to Do Instead 30.08.2025 55m

  What if the way the sustainability world has been trying to save the planet is actually part of the problem?For 25 years, Katie Crichlow has worked at the frontline of sustainability, from pioneering responsible sourcing at Marks and Spencer to leading Nature Metrics, a company using DNA sampling to measure biodiversity across more than 100 countries. Along the way she has become increasingly convinced that the obsession with data, reporting and making the business case for nature has distracted us from the real work.In this episode you will discover:Why Katie believes we have spent 30 years documenting extinction rather than stopping it, and what needs to changeHow the impact investment model is failing sustainability, and what a genuinely regenerative business actually looks likeWhy bringing your humanity and your values into the boardroom is the most important thing a sustainability professional can do right nowIf you have ever felt that the sustainability world is going around in circles while the planet gets worse, this conversation will put words to that feeling and point toward a different way forward.
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  #79. What Denis Opio Did When No Jobs Came That Every Aspiring Changemaker Working on Climate and Sustainability Needs to Hear 12.08.2025 52m

  What do you do when you have done everything right, applied for every job, and still nothing comes?Denis Opio faced exactly that moment in Gulu, northern Uganda, when COVID cost him his job and the applications kept going nowhere. His answer was to stop waiting and start building something of his own.Together with his wife Harriet, Denis founded Anyim Wa Community Initiative, an organisation that has transformed the lives of more than 400 vulnerable young women across northern Uganda through vocational training, business mentorship, climate coaching and genuine human support.You will discover:Why Denis decided to stop applying for jobs and create his own climate and sustainability impact instead, and what that decision tookHow Anyim Wa goes beyond teaching skills to give young women the business knowledge, confidence and community they need to truly stand on their ownHow climate change is hitting farming communities in northern Uganda right now, and what grassroots climate action actually looks like on the groundIf you have ever wondered whether one person can really make a difference, Denis and Harriet's story will answer that question.
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  #78. What If Burnt Peanut Shells Could Help Transform Farmers’ Lives? 06.08.2025 26m

  What if something as simple as burnt peanut shells could help farmers feed their families, restore their soils, and adapt to a changing climate?In northern Ghana, smallholder farmers are facing a growing struggle. Their soils are becoming depleted, fertilizer is increasingly expensive, rainfall is more unpredictable, and failed harvests can mean going without enough nutritious food for their families. For many young people, the lack of opportunity is also driving migration away from their communities in search of a better life.It’s against this backdrop that Scott Poynton is exploring an ancient technology with the potential to make a meaningful difference: biochar.In this episode, Scott takes you into the fields of northern Ghana, sitting beneath a shea tree as farmers harvest shea nuts and prepare research trials designed to test how biochar can help restore their soils. Made from agricultural waste such as peanut shells, corn cobs, and crop residues, biochar could help soils hold more water, support soil life, and make crops more resilient as rainfall becomes increasingly erratic.Scott shares what he has learned from working alongside these communities, including the results of earlier trials that produced a 26% yield increase with Bambara beans and a 98% increase when biochar was combined with chicken manure in a corn trial.You’ll discover:Why depleted soils, rising fertilizer costs, and unpredictable rainfall are creating such serious challenges for farmers and their families in northern Ghana.How biochar could help farmers turn agricultural waste into a resource that restores soil health, retains water, and improves crop resilience.What Scott and the farmers are hoping to learn from new trials comparing biochar, manure, and NPK fertilizer and how the results could shape a more self-reliant future for these communities.Play the episode to journey into the fields of northern Ghana and discover how an ancient technology—and a little bit of burnt agricultural waste—could help farmers restore their soils, strengthen their livelihoods, and build resilience in a changing climate.
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  #77. How Hugh Locke Is Connecting Spirituality, Regenerative Agriculture, and Smallholder Farmers 26.06.2025 47m

  What if the experiences, people, and passions that shape your life are quietly preparing you for the work you’re meant to do decades later?At just 15 years old, Scott Poynton heard the voice of legendary forester Richard St. Barbe Baker on the radio—and it helped inspire him to become a forester. Decades later, that same connection brings him into conversation with Hugh Locke, the young man who once travelled alongside St. Barbe Baker and helped preserve his extraordinary legacy.Hugh’s story is one of an unexpected life of service: from growing up on a farm in Saskatchewan and initially studying architecture, to working with St. Barbe Baker, Mikhail Gorbachev, the Dalai Lama, Prince Philip, and others. Along the way, he became deeply involved in environmental protection, peacebuilding, spirituality, regenerative agriculture, and work with smallholder farmers.In this deeply personal conversation, Hugh and Scott explore what it means to find your own path, why spirituality and interconnectedness matter in environmental work, and why the future of agriculture may depend on empowering the world’s hundreds of millions of smallholder farmers rather than leaving them behind.You’ll discover:How Richard St. Barbe Baker shaped Hugh’s life—and ultimately influenced Scott’s own journey into forestry—and why preserving the lessons of environmental pioneers still matters today.Why Hugh believes regenerative agriculture can combine traditional farming knowledge, modern science, community participation, and measurement to help smallholder farmers restore soils and increase productivity.How spirituality, consultation, and a sense of humanity’s interconnectedness could provide a different foundation for tackling climate change, food security, poverty, and the challenges facing the Global South.Play the episode to hear two lifelong environmentalists reflect on the people and ideas that shaped their journeys—and explore why empowering smallholder farmers could be central to building a more regenerative and hopeful future.
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  #76. Why Counting Trees Is the Wrong Way to Measure Your Climate Change Impact and What Actually Works 29.05.2025 43m

  What does it really take to restore a forest and why is planting a tree only the beginning?For more than a decade, One Tree Planted has turned a simple idea - one dollar, one tree - into a global movement. But as the organization enters its next chapter, CEO Hank Lynch is helping shift the focus from simply counting trees to something much deeper: restoring entire landscapes and creating places where people, wildlife, forests, soil, and water can thrive together.Hank’s own journey helps explain why that mission matters so deeply to him. Raised on a farm and orchard, he discovered an early love of working with trees before building a career across horticulture, agriculture, biodiversity, and environmental conservation. Today, he brings those experiences to One Tree Planted, alongside a team whose shared commitment is to find practical ways to restore damaged landscapes and support the communities that depend on them.In this conversation, Scott and Hank explore why successful restoration is about much more than putting seedlings in the ground. They discuss the importance of local knowledge, community involvement, healthy seedlings, long-term care, biodiversity, and adapting restoration strategies to the realities of different landscapes around the world.You’ll discover:Why One Tree Planted is moving beyond its famous “$1 = one tree” model toward measuring meaningful landscape and forest restoration, including whether planted trees actually survive.How regenerative agroforestry can help smallholder farmers improve soils, retain water, strengthen biodiversity, and generate income from trees without having to cut them down.Why Hank believes the future of restoration depends on collaboration, passionate people, strong local partnerships, and making landscape restoration a much bigger global priority.Play the episode to hear Hank Lynch reflect on One Tree Planted’s first decade, the lessons shaping its next chapter, and why restoring landscapes - and supporting the people who depend on them- could be one of the most important environmental challenges of our time.