From nature metrics to outcomes: why certification matters. 8 May 2026 Event report Forests are entering financial and policy discussions in new ways, as expectations grow for data that can guide decisions, reduce risk and demonstrate impact. What is changing is not only how forests are measured, but how information about them is expected to be used. This dynamic shaped a panel discussion at the Corporate Investments into Forestry & Biodiversity Europe conference, moderated by Wienke Schouwing Head of Business Development at Green Earth, who opened the session by highlighting a central tension: the need to express nature in simple, decision-ready data, while remaining true to the complexity of ecological systems. Bringing together perspectives from data, forest management and certification, the discussion did not question whether metrics are needed. It clarified what they can - and cannot - deliver on their own. When simplicity meets ecological reality. Markets increasingly require nature to be expressed in forms that are comparable, scalable and decision-ready. As Stefanie Kaiser, Founder and Strategic Advisor at Kaiser Environmental Markets, highlighted, "metrics don't stand alone. They only make sense if they are linked to a clear understanding of what drives impact in a specific forest and what outcomes you are actually trying to achieve". At the same time, meaningful decisions depend on understanding what is actually happening in a specific forest, on information that is often complex, site-specific and difficult to standardise. Asger Strange-Olesen, Director ESG, Climate & Biodiversity at IWC Asset Management+, pointed to the gap between the data used for investment decisions and the reality on the ground. The tension is clear. The data used to inform decisions is not the same as the data needed to understand ecological change. Metrics enable comparison, but they do not necessarily capture the conditions that determine whether forests remain resilient over time. From measurement to meaning. As expectations toward metrics increase, this distinction becomes more consequential. Metrics can describe outcomes and signal trends. They make forests visible within financial and policy frameworks. What they do not do, on their own, is explain how those outcomes are produced or whether they can be sustained. As Thorsten Arndt, Head of Advocacy at PEFC International, noted during the discussion, "the question is not whether we can measure forests, but whether those measurements lead to systemic change." This is the central challenge. Metrics increase visibility, but visibility can also shift attention toward what is easiest to measure, while the underlying systems that determine long-term outcomes remain less visible. As Kaiser also noted, "if the goal is to understand risk, scalable indicators can be enough. But if the goal is to demonstrate real impact, you need site-level data that links actions to outcomes." A familiar role in a changing context. In forestry, this distinction is not new. For decades, forest certification has provided the underlying system for responsible forest management. It has helped define what good management looks like, how it is implemented, how it is verified and how it can be maintained over time across very different forest contexts. What it has not always provided strongly enough is the metrics layer now expected by finance, policy and reporting. The opportunity is to connect both, to strengthen certification as the framework through which forest-related metrics can be generated, structured, verified and used. The point is not to replace certification with metrics. It is to build on what certification already does well, governance, verification and long-term management, while enabling it to respond more clearly to the growing demand for decision-useful information. From visibility to outcomes. The objective is not better metrics. It is better outcomes. As highlighted during the panel, "the reward of those metrics should not be better metrics - it should always be better sustainability." As forests become more central to climate strategies, biodiversity goals and financial decision-making, the effectiveness of nature metrics will depend on whether they remain connected to the systems that shape forest management over time. The challenge is not only to make forests visible, but to ensure that this visibility reflects, supports and strengthens the conditions that determine their long-term resilience.

Its Bulindi chimpanzees take the global stage on BBC's Planet Earth III. Bulindi Chimpanzee & Community Project is thrilled to share that the Bulindi chimpanzees have officially become global celebrities! Its resident community of wild chimpanzees was featured in the landmark BBC series Planet Earth III, narrated by the esteemed Sir David Attenborough. Appearing in Episode 5: Forests, this "cinematic odyssey" offers the world a rare glimpse into the hidden connections of the natural world. But it also highlights a poignant truth: with 15 billion trees lost to human activity every year, species like its chimps are facing unprecedented challenges. Behind the lens: Capturing life on the edge The segment was brought to life by the visionary work of BBC directors Abigail Lees and Sarah Whalley. Their team spent weeks on the ground with Bulindi Chimpanzee & Community Project, capturing the daily reality of chimps living in surprisingly close proximity to people. The footage reveals heart-stopping moments that illustrate just how much the landscape has changed. Viewers around the world watched as Gerald, one of its young male chimps, navigated busy highways and agricultural land in search of food - a powerful testament to the resilience of these animals and the urgency of its conservation work. Restoring habitat, securing a future The spotlight on Gerald and his family comes at a pivotal time. Established in 2015 under the leadership of Dr. Matt McLennan, the Bulindi Chimpanzee & Community Project (BCCP) operates in the Hoima and Masindi districts, where over 300 wild chimpanzees cling to survival in shrinking forest fragments. To tackle this crisis, Bulindi Chimpanzee & Community Project has partnered with Green.Earth on a massive habitat restoration initiative. Together, Bulindi Chimpanzee & Community Project is working towards an ambitious goal of planting 31 million trees. This reforestation effort is about more than just numbers; it is about rebuilding a home for over 300 chimpanzees. By restoring their natural habitat, Bulindi Chimpanzee & Community Project is: * Improving food sources: Ensuring the chimps have ample natural foraging options in the forest, reducing their need to raid local farms. * Reducing conflict: Creating a buffer that allows humans and wildlife to coexist safely. * Supporting the community: Providing sustainable livelihood alternatives for the families who live alongside these "chimp celebrities." Join Bulindi Chimpanzee & Community Project in protecting their future While the BBC cameras have moved on, the challenges for Gerald and his community remain. The "delicate dance" between humanity and nature requires constant support to stay in rhythm. Bulindi Chimpanzee & Community Project is dedicated to ensuring that the Bulindi chimpanzees not only survive but thrive. But as a non-profit, Bulindi Chimpanzee & Community Project cannot do it alone. Your contribution puts trees in the ground, protects these magnificent animals, and keeps these forests standing for the next generation. Donate to support the Bulindi chimpanzees You can watch Planet Earth III - Episode 5: Forests on BBC and Prime Video.