Jul 21, 2025
Behind the trees: Meet the team bringing our projects to life
Get to know the passionate people behind EcoTree’s nature-based projects, from biodiversity experts to foresters restoring ecosystems across Europe.
At EcoTree, restoring forests and ecosystems is not just a mission; it’s a personal calling for every member of our forestry and biodiversity team. Behind every healthy tree, carbon-storing hectare, or thriving wetland, there’s a human story: of passion, patience, knowledge, and care.
Spanning France, Denmark, Germany, and beyond, our team combines deep scientific expertise with boots-on-the-ground experience. But what truly unites them is their unwavering commitment to nurturing nature’s recovery. Our forestry and biodiversity are quietly making a difference, every day, one forest and one project at a time.
What does the EcoTree forestry team do?
Our forestry team plays a vital role in delivering the measurable ecological impact behind every EcoTree project. Here’s a look at what they do:
- Source and assess forest land to ensure ecological viability and project scalability.
- Develop tailored management plans combining sustainable timber practices with biodiversity restoration.
- Oversee planting and regeneration of diverse, native tree species.
- Implement and monitor biodiversity actions, including habitat creation and species protection.
- Track carbon storage and ecosystem health over time using innovative digital tools.
- Collaborate with private landowners, local authorities, and scientists to scale sustainable forestry across Europe.
From first inspection to long-term care, the team ensures every forest is productive, biodiverse, and future-proof.
Passion for nature, rooted in the land
Left: Louise Bouchardy conducting a biodiversity inventory in Ploërdut. Right: Clément Bourel hosting a forest visit for a client in Langonnet.
Long before they joined EcoTree, some of our team members were already deeply connected to the natural world, and that passion continues to drive their work today.
Louise Bouchardy, our Biodiversity expert, grew up on a farm in Corbières, immersed in the rhythms of winemaking and olive growing. Her journey led her from river conservation in Scotland to marine biodiversity research in the Mediterranean. Today, she leads biodiversity diagnostics and restoration planning across our forests in France, implementing habitat improvements like ponds, deadwood preservation, and nesting boxes. For Louise, every action is about restoring long-term ecological balance, one habitat at a time.
Similarly, Clément Bourel, a forest manager in France, brings a deep appreciation for woodlands shaped during his childhood in the Dordogne region. Whether diagnosing forest plots or overseeing regeneration, Clément blends sustainable timber management with a deep respect for biodiversity, helping EcoTree forests thrive both economically and ecologically.
Bridging science and fieldwork
Left: Arnaud de Grave in Le Syndicat forest. Right: Julia Fuchs inventorying ordnates in Luthenay forest in France.
Some of our team members bring together seemingly opposing worlds: field experience and technical innovation, hands-on forestry and high-level data analysis.
Arnaud De Grave is one such bridge-builder. With a background in mechanical engineering, forestry, and environmental photography, he straddles the line between the practical and the analytical. Arnaud manages forest sites in Eastern France while also developing digital tools to monitor carbon storage and forest health. His ability to translate forest dynamics into measurable impact is central to EcoTree’s model of transparency and accountability.
In Germany, Julia Fuchs blends business acumen with ecological insight. With degrees in Management and Forest & Nature Management, she develops forestry and peatland projects that are both scientifically grounded and strategically designed. Whether in the field or drafting plans, Julia ensures that ecological restoration and human well-being go hand in hand.
Vision and leadership for sustainable growth
Left: Pierre-François Dumont Saint Priest welcoming 50 clients to our 2025 forest visit in our Pézarches forest. Right: Vianney Renard in our Luthenay forest.
Restoration is never accidental; it takes strategy, coordination, and long-term thinking. That’s where our leaders step in.
Vianney Renard, EcoTree’s Forest Director, guides the company’s forestry operations across Europe. From sourcing new projects to supporting private landowners and ensuring certification, his role is both visionary and practical. With a background in agriculture and real estate, and a base in Mayenne, Vianney ensures EcoTree’s forest portfolio grows with integrity and purpose.
Likewise, Pierre-François Dumont Saint Priest, co-founder and Product Director, serves as the link between business ambition and ecological reality. With a background in business strategy, he keeps the day-to-day aligned with the long-term rhythms of nature. His coordination with forestry and biodiversity teams helps translate EcoTree’s mission into measurable, meaningful action.
Dedication and resilience in the field
Left: Gauthier de Lachaise assisting Louise Bouchardy with completing an inventory in Ploërdut forest. Right: Vianney de la Brosse guiding clients through our forestry action in Launay Guen forest.
Some of our team members are constantly on the move in forests, on remote plots, or between countries, ensuring our projects are implemented with care.
Gauthier de Lachaise, Project Manager for France and Denmark, took an unconventional path from accounting to sustainable forestry. After managing logging operations in Congo and sailing the Atlantic, Gauthier found his home at EcoTree. He now leads missions across borders, ensuring forests are managed consistently and ecologically across multiple regions.
Vianney de La Brosse, co-founder and forestry lead of EcoTree, grew up planting trees in Brittany. With over 15 years of experience in the sector, he integrates biodiversity into every level of forest design, from wetland restoration to native hedgerows. His close-to-nature approach ensures our forests are resilient, productive, and genuinely wild at heart.
In Brittany, Vianney B. applies the same philosophy locally, overseeing forest care with a focus on sustainability and long-term vitality.
Quiet impact, lasting change
The work of our forestry and biodiversity team often takes place out of sight, deep in the woods, in peatlands, or over spreadsheets, but its impact is felt far and wide.
Every restored site, every carbon tonne stored, every bird box installed begins with a person who cares deeply about nature’s future. They don’t seek the spotlight, but their work deserves it.
These are the people shaping forests, and with them, a better future for ecosystems, climate, and communities. We’re proud to introduce the individuals behind this impact.
