Scaling nature: A decade of forestry and nature innovation

Ten years later, that seed has grown into a European company helping businesses and individuals take real, measurable action for forests, carbon, and biodiversity. From tree ownership to certified carbon credits, EcoTree has scaled its impact across ecosystems and borders, all while staying rooted in trust, science, and human values.

“We didn’t set out to build a company. We set out to solve a simple puzzle: how do you get people to care about forests and ecosystems that they may never see? The answer, we found, lies in ownership, in trust, and in building a model where environmental impact isn’t an obligation, but a shared opportunity.”

- Erwan Le Méné, Chairman of EcoTree Group

From vision to viability (2014–2017)

EcoTree was officially founded in Brest in 2016, after two years of development and field exploration. The idea was bold: make forest ownership accessible, turning ecological responsibility into an investment with both environmental and financial returns.

The first fundraising rounds validated the model. With € 100,000 in 2017 and later €1.2 million in 2018, the company had what it needed to grow and start proving that sustainable forestry could be scalable, profitable, and deeply meaningful.

Planting roots across Europe (2018–2021)

By 2018, EcoTree registered with the French Financial Markets Authority (AMF) as an intermediary in miscellaneous assets, a crucial step in building transparency and legitimacy in a sector often lacking both.

Then growth came fast. EcoTree opened offices in Paris and Copenhagen, established a field operations team, and expanded its portfolio of forests in France. The launch of biodiversity initiatives marked a shift from sustainable forestry to full-spectrum ecosystem restoration.

“Establishing our offices in Paris and Copenhagen was a decisive moment in our journey. We understood that to amplify our impact, we must be present where critical decisions are made and where the demand for meaningful environmental action is surging. This move marked the beginning of our European expansion, driven by the strong belief that forests and nature-based solutions know no borders. We are committed to making a difference on a larger scale.”
- Thomas Norman Canguilhem, CEO of EcoTree International

By 2021, EcoTree had become a B Corp-certified company, underscoring its commitment to social and environmental impact. That same year, the company acquired its first forests in Denmark, in Kalundborg and Thisted, marking a new phase of international expansion.

The groundwork was set. EcoTree was no longer just a tree ownership platform; it had evolved into a comprehensive ecosystem, on the way to becoming a European leader in Nature-based Solutions.

Maturing the model (2022–2024)

EcoTree’s 2022 Series B fundraising round, €12 million led by Société Générale and other impact investors, supercharged its capacity to innovate.

This funding enabled the company to refine its carbon quantification methodology, allowing for the later development and issuance of high-quality carbon credits under various European standards, including the French Low-Carbon Label (LBC), MoorFutures in Belgium and Germany, EVA Wald-Klimastandard in Germany, and the Woodland Carbon Code in the UK.

Beyond carbon, EcoTree doubled down on biodiversity. Wetland restoration projects launched in Denmark and Germany. Agroforestry initiatives sprouted in the UK and Denmark. The team began managing over 1,800 hectares of land, including more than 2 million trees, while monitoring the health of fauna, flora, and the ecosystem with scientific precision.

It wasn’t just about scaling more — it was about scaling better.

“For us, scaling wasn't merely about increasing volume; it was about maintaining integrity. The Series B funding provided us with the resources to elevate our standards: implementing more precise carbon accounting, developing more robust methodologies, and enhancing biodiversity co-benefits. Each new project now presents an opportunity to demonstrate that quality and scale can, and must, go hand in hand.”
- Pierre-François Dumont Saint Priest, Product Director at EcoTree Group

This scale is powered not just by ambition, but by rigour, transparency, and a team of specialists who live and breathe fieldwork. Today, EcoTree employs 25 people across six nationalities, all working to ensure that every project is verifiable, long-term, and locally rooted.

"EcoTree was founded on the belief that nature can be a shared asset, something to be valued, protected, and restored. Our goal is clear: to create a meaningful impact across Europe by making nature restoration both accessible and accountable. We are committed to demonstrating that sustainable forestry, biodiversity protection, and carbon storage can coexist with economic viability, as long as we adhere to the highest standards of rigour, transparency, and local engagement.” 
- Théophane Le Méné, CEO of EcoTree Group 

A scalable future for nature

EcoTree’s story is proof that nature doesn’t have to lose out in a global economy, not if we find ways to scale responsibility with the same intensity as growth.

From four founders and a recycling machine to a continent-spanning ecosystem company, EcoTree shows that when you align people, capital, and purpose, forests grow. And so does hope.

EcoTree in numbers

• 1,800 hectares of land / 1,200 hectares of reforestation projects / 675 hectares of afforestation projects
• 2 million trees planted and/or under sustainable management
• 64 forests owned and under management across France and Denmark
• 1 reforestation project in Germany and 1 in Scotland
• 9 wetland projects, 5 in France, 3 in Germany, and 1 in Denmark
• Over 100 ecosystem projects, from wetlands to pollinator habitats
• 111 bird & bathouses, 7,000 m² of wild orchards, and 15,000 m² of meadows maintained
• 7 km of honey hedges planted as food resource for pollinators
• 700+ hectares of protected zones (Natura 2000, ZNIEFF I & II)
• €20M+ in total funding raised since inception