The Digital Forester

Summary

In this conversation, Kevin Lim interviews Derrick Emsley, CEO of veritree and co-founder of tentree. They discuss Derrick's entrepreneurial journey, the founding of tentree, and the transition to veritree, a technology platform designed to enhance reforestation efforts. Derrick shares insights into the challenges of verifying tree planting projects and the innovative technology veritree employs, including geospatial analysis and blockchain for transparency. The discussion highlights the importance of trust in environmental initiatives and the potential for technology to drive impactful change in sustainability. In this conversation, Derrick Emsley discusses the challenges and opportunities in the reforestation sector, particularly focusing on verification standards and the importance of transparency. He highlights successful projects in Kenya and Canada, emphasizing the impact of partnerships. Derrick also shares insights on the role of AI in enhancing reforestation efforts and the significance of understanding the core problems in the industry. He concludes with advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, stressing the importance of being problem-focused rather than solution-obsessed.

Takeaways

- Derrick Emsley started his entrepreneurial journey at a young age.
- tentree was created to connect consumers with tree planting initiatives.
- veritree emerged from the need for better verification in reforestation.
- Technology plays a crucial role in monitoring and verifying tree planting.
- Blockchain can enhance trust in environmental projects.
- Derrick's background in Saskatchewan influenced his work ethic and values.
- The importance of community support in entrepreneurship.
- veritree's technology connects funders with restoration projects.
- The role of geospatial technology in project design and implementation.
- Trust is essential for the success of digital environmental products. Verification standards can create challenges in reforestation.
- Transparency is key to overcoming verification issues.
- Successful partnerships can lead to significant impact.
- Traveling to project sites enhances understanding and motivation.
- Diverse reforestation initiatives include mangroves and agroforestry.
- AI can streamline workflows and improve data insights.
- Setting ambitious goals can drive team motivation.
- Quality of tree planting is as important as quantity.
- Understanding the problem is crucial for entrepreneurs.
- Real-world experience is essential for identifying industry challenges.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to veritree and tentree
02:56 Derrick Emsley's Early Journey and Entrepreneurial Roots
06:06 The Genesis of tentree and Its Impact
09:11 Transitioning to veritree: The Need for Technology
12:01 Building Technology for Reforestation
15:00 Understanding veritree's Technology and Applications
17:52 Customer Engagement and Project Implementation
21:09 The Role of Blockchain in veritree
24:02 Future of Reforestation and Technology
27:52 Navigating Verification Challenges in Reforestation
33:00 Highlighting Successful Projects and Partnerships
38:05 The Impact of Travel on Project Insights
40:55 Exploring Diverse Reforestation Initiatives
45:03 The Role of AI in Enhancing Reforestation Efforts
48:45 Scaling Goals: Challenges and Opportunities
51:57 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Jason Dain, Director of Product - Forest Operations at Remsoft, joins The Digital Forester podcast to share his incredible journey from Ottawa’s outdoors to leading forestry tech innovation. Jason reflects on 25+ years in forestry and technology, from boots-on-the-ground operations to global digital transformation. We explore how forestry practices have evolved, the three seismic tech shifts that changed the industry, and why bridging the gap between people and technology is critical for success. Jason also dives into AI’s role in forestry, future visions of remote harvesting, and the puzzle he’s determined to solve before retirement.
Tune in for insights on sustainability, climate adaptation, and advice for the next generation of foresters.
Topics Covered:
Jason’s early connection to nature and the Junior Ranger program
Combining forestry and technology: from BASIC programming to Trimble Forestry to Remsoft
Evolution of forestry practices: analog to digital transformation
Three major tech shifts: land divestiture, certification, SaaS adoption
Challenges in digital adoption and overcoming resistance
AI in forestry: short, medium, and long-term use cases
Future vision: remote and autonomous harvesting
Climate change impacts and adaptive forestry practices
The ultimate puzzle: closing the feedback loop between planning and reality

Levi Farrand, CEO of Deep Forestry, joins The Digital Forester podcast to share his incredible journey from adventure guide and naval diver in Australia to leading a cutting-edge forest tech company in Sweden.
Deep Forestry is pioneering fully autonomous LiDAR-equipped drones that can fly beneath the forest canopy, creating highly detailed digital twins of forests for inventory, planning, and carbon projects.
Levi takes us through the early startup days—bootstrapping with his co-founder, recruiting his first engineer from a rock-climbing gym, and proving that their system could map every tree in a stand with accuracy rivaling or surpassing traditional field methods. We dive into the challenges of scaling AI-driven forest mapping, the future of sub-canopy drones in commercial and conservation forestry, and why Levi believes democratizing access to this technology will transform decision-making in forests around the world.
If you care about data-driven forestry, carbon transparency, and the future of forest management, this episode is a must-listen.
Topics Covered:
Levi’s journey from adventure guide and naval diver to tech founder
Building Deep Forestry from a startup idea to a global solution
The role of autonomous LiDAR drones in creating digital twins of forests
Startup challenges: bootstrapping, networks, and early adopters
Precision and accuracy in sub-canopy forest measurements
Applications for inventory, carbon markets, and time-series monitoring
Pricing models and the shift from hardware to service-based delivery
Scaling innovation: batteries, lighter LiDAR, and AI pipelines
Opportunities in diverse forests vs. monocultures
Levi’s vision for democratizing access to affordable forest mapping tools

Alex Deslauriers, Co-Founder & CEO of FireSwarm Solutions, joins The Digital Forester podcast to share how his personal loss to wildfire sparked a mission to transform how we fight fires. With a background in aerospace engineering and search and rescue, Alex and his team at FireSwarm Solutions are developing heavy-lift drones, swarm intelligence, and AI-driven systems to deliver water and suppression agents faster, safer, and more effectively.
We explore Alex’s journey, the challenges of wildfire management in a changing climate, and how technology and partnerships are redefining what’s possible on the fire line.
If you care about innovation, resilience, and the future of wildfire response, this episode is a must-listen.
Topics Covered:
Alex’s background in aerospace and SAR (search and rescue)
The personal impact of the 2023 BC wildfires
Founding FireSwarm Solutions and its mission
Heavy-lift drones and swarm technology for wildfire suppression
Using AI to coordinate rapid response in high-risk conditions
The role of partnerships and collaboration in scaling innovation
Challenges of bringing aerospace tech into forestry operations
The future vision for wildfire management: speed, safety, resilience

Domenico Iannidinardo, CEO, and Aaron Fujikawa, Director of Remote Sensing & Geomatics at Strategic Natural Resource Group (SNRgroup), join us on The Digital Forester podcast to share how they're navigating the future of forestry and resource management in British Columbia.
Domenico brings decades of leadership experience from the forest industry, while Aaron shares how Strategic’s tech-forward mindset is driving innovation with GIS, remote sensing, and operational analytics. Together, they break down how a boots-on-the-ground culture and Indigenous majority ownership are helping the company respond to today’s biggest forestry challenges — from wildfires to shifting tenure models.
If you’re curious about where digital forestry meets field operations, this is the episode for you.
Topics Covered:
Domenico’s transition from forest industry executive to CEO of Strategic
Aaron’s background in GIS and 15+ years leading geospatial innovation
The founding story and evolution of Strategic Natural Resource Group
Shifting BC forestry tenures and Indigenous leadership
Wildfires, spill response, and rapid deployment operations
Embracing technology: GPS, drones, LiDAR, and digital twins
Strategic Natural Resource Group's approach to building dashboards and data portals
How remote sensing and field data fuel better planning
The intersection of climate change, land management, and tech
Recruiting and retaining top talent in forestry and natural resources