Can AI Save the Forest? Across the Yard w/ Dan White & Haleigh Callison S04EP22

Dan White, CEO and co-founder of Gentian, and Haleigh Callison, founder and CEO of Takoda Consulting and team lead for Cedar Sales at Western Forest Products, join Across the Yard to explore how satellite imagery and AI are changing the way we understand and manage forests. From identifying tree species at scale to detecting pest infestations before they spread, this conversation is a crash course in where forestry data is headed and why it matters.

In this episode, you'll learn how species-level data can support forestry decision-making, why hyperspectral imagery could help detect pest infestations like mountain pine beetle earlier than ever before, and how satellite and AI-driven tools are starting to complement (not replace) established methods like LiDAR. Dan and Haleigh also dig into how this kind of data can support wildfire risk mapping, help Indigenous communities protect culturally and medicinally important trees, and inform emerging biodiversity policy like the UK's biodiversity net gain model. Along the way, they tackle common misconceptions about the forestry industry and make the case for why sustainability isn't just good ecology: it's good economics.

If you care about forestry innovation, biodiversity data, Indigenous partnership in resource management, and where AI can genuinely move an industry forward, this conversation is worth your time.

Enjoy the show!

Links:

Supply-Build Canada: https://supplybuild.ca/

Dan White: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/daniel-white-environment

Gentian: https://gentian.io/

Haleigh Callison: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/haleighcallison

Takoda Consulting: https://takodaconsulting.com/

Sponsor info:

This episode of Across the Yard is brought to you by Sexton Group, your partner in building stronger business, together.