The latest research shows that our planets ecosystems are deteriorating and that radical change is needed. At the same time possibilities to solve these problems are becoming clear and the knowledge about these possibilities is now spreading fast. This provides the platform for the work of the Eco-Innovation Foundation, EIF. In partnership with companies, organisations and institutions EIF works on creating and changing value chains enabling new eco-positive concepts and solutions to be established. Our mission is to support the development of products and services that inherently support the ecosystems. We call this Eco-supportive innovation. Current Project: Wood that supports the restoration of forests The goal of the initiative is to create a global market for tropical wood from native forest under control by local smallholders/villages. We believe such a market could be a force in turning the alarming trend of forest degradation into it's opposite - forest restoration. To create this market the team behind this initiative has developed a programme to facilitate the creation of new competitive and fair value chains. This builds on a value chain model that the team has developed and tested over the last decade. It's adaptable, but always builds on these four pillars: - Sustainably managed native forest under local control by smallholders/villages - Small-medium scale AND high quality sawing, drying and further processing, for access to high paying markets - Marketing of Native species, originating from responsibly managed forest controlled by smallholder and community partners - Direct contact with industrial customers, bypassing middle men, for joint product development To succeed in launching these value chains the programme will provide support simultaneously to the three central actors: The smallholders, the sawmill entrepreneur and the long-term buyers.