{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Forestry Now","title":"How Forestry Lost the PR Battle with Peter Hasulyó","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2355,"description":"In this episode, I speak with forestry engineer and analyst Peter Hasulyó about one of the sector’s biggest blind spots: communication. Despite decades of progress in sustainable forest management, the forestry industry has struggled to win public trust.Peter explains how a lack of proactive storytelling allowed others to shape the narrative—often inaccurately—leading to confusion between sustainable forestry and deforestation. The discussion explores why perception matters as much as practice, how NGOs filled the communication gap, and why forestry must rethink how it engages with the public.We also examine real-world consequences of this PR failure, including regulatory pressure, declining trust, and misunderstandings about timber production, clear-felling, and plantations.Key Topics Covered Why forestry lost the public perception battle. The communication gap and its consequences. Clear-felling vs deforestation: why the public confuses them. Forestry as an “open factory”  The role of NGOs and how emotional storytelling beats data. Why timber production is misunderstood—but essential. Plantation forestry vs nature conservation. Historical mistakes and their lasting reputational impact. Regulation (EUDR) as a consequence of lost trust. How the industry can rebuild credibility.Quotes:\"NGOs filled the storytelling gap about forestry.\"\"We gave them FSC labels. They (NGO's) gave them baby orangutans. We lost.\"\"An open factory approach can help educate the public..\"\"If you don't cut wood locally and source it sustainably, it's going to be sourced from somewhere else in the world, which doesn't have as strict regulation...\"The ForestryNow newsletter signupforestrynowpodcast@gmail.comLinks:Peter on Linkedinhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/peterhasulyo/The Forestry Briefhttps://forestrybrief.com/The PR Battle Forestry Never Foughthttps://www.fordaq.com/news/The_PR_battle_forestry_never_111884.htmlWWF Hungaryhttps://wwf.hu/Chapters[0:00:00] – Introduction to Forestry Now and...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/y-Ns7qgeQc4APOd80Zlamk7qjqkdHoEVT6BTEG7fO4A/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS84ZmZj/ZWY3Yjg1ZjZiZmYy/ZTNjMGQ5YWZlY2Jh/NWUwMS5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}