Board Members

In my daily life I am the CEO and 4th generation of our family business Royal Van Wijhe Verf. We are the largest independent producer in The Netherlands and more than 100 years old. Our main business is developing, producing and selling decorative paints. In Holland we are known by the brand Wijzonol and our international brand is Ralston.

From when I was very young, I watched all the documentaries on television about nature. From the beautiful seaworld filmed by Jaques Cousteau to the life of wild cats in Africa. Although I originally wanted to become a biologist, I decided to step into the family business after all. But my passion for nature is still there and when I got the chance to help via Future For Nature, I grabbed it immediately.

I am the director of Royal Burgers’ Zoo in Arnhem, the Netherlands. Burgers’ Zoo is a family business and I am very proud to say that the zoo has been in my family for a 100 years now. My great-grandfather Johan Burgers officially opened the zoo on 30 March 1913. I now run the business with my wife, with support from my mother as management adviser.

As an organisation we aspire to put our passion, wonderment and admiration for nature into the service of nature conservation and we support many conservation projects worldwide. It is also why we have been the main sponsor for Future For Nature for the past ten years. Every year we donate 150,000 euros to the Foundation to be used for active nature conservation work.

Willem Ferwarda has a background in conservation and travel organisations and currently he is the CEO of Commonland, working on large-scale landscape restoration. Willem is the secretary of the Future For Nature Foundation.

I am the founder and CEO of Yumeko, a social enterprise brand for sustainable, ethical, and organic products for the bedroom and bathroom in the Netherlands.  The products are made from organic and fair trade cotton. We create Fair Chains for all our products, which includes taking good care of nature and the earth; instead of exploiting it.

I truly believe that protection and conservation of our wildlife, our natural environment, and -resources, deserves our undivided attention. We can no longer stand idly by while earth is being destroyed for short term business profits. It is the young who deserve a better future, it is the young who can change the outcome. That is why I strongly support the FFN activities to empower young individuals.

Being a freshwater biologist by training, I have been investigating the impact of climate change on afrotropical mountain lakes (2000-2012). In 2012, I became the Coordinator of the Belgian Biodiversity Platform, a national science-policy interface bridging between researchers, policy makers, and practitioners. For over a decade, I have performed central roles in several European and global biodiversity initiatives providing science-based policy support, such as Biodiversa+ (funding transnational biodiversity research with impact for society) and IPBES (the Intergovernmental Platform for Biodiversity & Ecosystem Services). I’m currently the Director General of the Research Institute for Nature & Forest, and Vice President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

In a world facing unprecedented environmental challenges, Future For Nature stands as a beacon of hope. By empowering the next generation of environmental leaders, the organisation is sowing the seeds of a brighter and more sustainable future for all living beings. Future for Nature reminds us that positive change is possible, and serves as an inspiration to all who care deeply about the natural world. I look forward to joining forces over the years to come!