Our story

Qarlbo Biodiversity is deeply rooted in a legacy of responsible investment and environmental stewardship. Founded by Conni Jonsson, who traces his roots as an advocate to the Swedish environmental movement of the 1970s, Qarlbo Biodiversity builds upon Jonsson’s lifelong commitment to sustainable and forward-looking investments. Jonsson is known for pioneering sustainable practices in finance, setting ambitious impact goals that continue to influence Qarlbo Biodiversity’s approach to nature-positive investment today.

Our purpose

At Qarlbo, we invest in biodiversity to create lasting positive impact—for nature, society, and future generations. We believe that healthy ecosystems are the foundation of a thriving planet, and protecting them is essential for our collective future.

Take pollinating insects, for example. Without them, crops fail, food supplies dwindle, and livelihoods are lost. When nature’s cycles break down, it disrupts entire ecosystems—harming both people and the planet. That’s why we drive change through nature-positive forestry and biodiversity credits, combining environmental impact with economic value.

Our approach supports sustainable forestry practices that restore habitats, promote biodiversity, and reduce climate impact—while also rewarding landowners for protecting nature. By investing in solutions that balance profitability with ecological health, we create opportunities for both people and the planet to thrive. Our mission is clear: protect nature, support communities, and secure a sustainable future for generations to come.

Our people

The Qarlbo Biodiversity team combines decades of experience in forestry investment and ecological expertise, gained from managing projects worldwide. This deep, hands-on knowledge of commercial forestry and forest ecology gives the team a unique competitive edge. Leveraging a strong understanding of ecological and regulatory frameworks, we implement a scientific, yet practical, approach to promoting the widespread adoption of biodiversity credits as an accessible and effective tool for businesses.

Aleksandra Holmlund

CEO

Aleksandra is an experienced forester with over 25 years of hands-on experience in operational forestry and timberland investments across Sweden, Europe and the Americas.

A leading global advocate for biodiversity credits, Aleksandra’s pioneering methodology research at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) laid the groundwork for Europe’s first voluntary biodiversity credit transactions.

As CEO of Qarlbo Biodiversity, she leads investments in nature-positive forestry that harness integrated forest management to improve both production and biodiversity conservation.

Previous roles included investment and supply chain management at firms including GreenGold and IKEA Group. Aleksandra holds a Licentiate of Philosophy degree in Forestry, an MSc in Forestry and Biology and Forest Resources Production and Management from SLU, and an MBA from the Stockholm School of Economics.

Aleksandra is a Fellow at the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry.

Christian Wachtmeister

Investment Director

Christian possesses extensive experience and a vast network in both finance and forestry. He previously spent 12 years working as an investment banker in London and Stockholm, largely focused on Mergers and Acquisitions with Rothschild and HSBC.

His solid transaction experience includes many geographies and industries, including forestry. Christian holds a M.Sc. in Economics and Business Administration, with a Major in Finance, from the Stockholm School of Economics.

Cory Pruett

Country Manager, US and Uruguay

Cory is a career forestland investor with the ability to identify inefficiencies within mature markets as well as experience of navigating the risks of frontier markets.

Cory joined Qarlbo Biodiversity from Ingka Investments, where he served as Forestland Acquisitions Manager for the US. Prior to Ingka, Cory held numerous positions for well-known asset managers including Bank of America, FourWinds Capital Management, and The Phaunos Timber Fund.

Ryan Sheridan

Head of Fund Operations

Ryan is a seasoned fund operations executive with more than a decade of experience in private equity, fund management, and financial operations across leading global investment firms, including J.P. Morgan, EQT, and La Mancha.

As Head of Fund Operations at Qarlbo Biodiversity, Ryan oversees the firm’s finance, fund structuring, and reporting functions, ensuring efficient capital deployment and robust governance for nature-positive investments. He brings deep expertise in corporate FP&A, investor relations, deal execution, and portfolio management, supporting Qarlbo’s mission to scale biodiversity credit markets with institutional rigor.

Ryan holds a BA (Hons) in Accounting and Finance from the National University of Ireland, Maynooth, an Advanced Diploma in Accounting & Business from ACCA, and has successfully completed CAIA Level I.

Martin Pilstjärna

Scientific Advisor

Martin is an ecologist (PhD in Plant Ecology from Stockholm University) whose work has focused on various sustainability issues related to production forestry, such as forest certification, due diligence assessments, biodiversity conservation and chain of custody evaluations for several years.

At Qarlbo Biodiversity, Martin is responsible for designing and implementing biodiversity strategies and measurement frameworks.

He leads the development of Qarlbo Biodiversity’s Credit Methodology and is involved in Qarlbo Biodiversity's work with the Global Biocredit Standard, Biodiversity Credit Alliance and International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits, to develop and advance adoption of a global standard for biodiversity credits.

Chelsea Smith

Biodiversity Credit Manager

Chelsea is a mitigation banking expert, with more than 10 years of experience in advising on strategic, long-term land conservation and environmental investments in the US. She brings a strong mix of technical expertise and commercial insight to Qarlbo Biodiversity. Her track record includes direct-to-user credit sales for compensatory mitigation bank projects across the country.

Her experience informs Qarlbo’s approach to land-based regulatory and voluntary markets, and she plays a key role in expanding the company’s reach in biodiversity credit markets.

More recently, Chelsea has been building relationships with policymakers in Washington, D.C., advocating for current projects and closely monitoring legislative developments relevant to future land restoration markets.

Chelsea holds a BA in Public Relations from the University of Oklahoma.