Willem, an expert in landscape restoration, shares with us how his early fascination for nature has shaped his path through life. Having worked for the International Union for Conversation of Nature, he speaks about his rich experiences of working in the tropics and how the restoration of rural degraded areas can regenerate diversity and communities. Wanting to contribute to build a bridge between investors, nature conservationists and local people – bringing together people, nature and productivity, he co-founded Commonland. Willem reveals that an alarming number of 2 billion hectares (the size of China and the US combined) is degraded land around the globe, making restoration work utterly important.
