Rolf Skar is a strategic leader with nearly 30 years experience working on forest conservation, climate change mitigation and a wide range of other environmental issues. From UN convenings to field work in the Brazilian Amazon, he has contributed to innovative and award-winning campaigns that deliver results. Rolf leads Canopy’s Pack4Good campaign to transform the global paper packaging industry with Next Generation solutions that will save Ancient and Endangered forests and build more resilient supply chains.
More about me
I had planned to be a clinical psychologist and pursue my real passion - environmental advocacy - in my free time. When I learned there were careers focused on protecting the diversity and abundance of life on our planet, I changed my plans! For close to 30 years I have dedicated myself to protecting the Earth’s life and life-supporting systems. At my core I am a campaigner and a leader who is motivated not by status or the spotlight, but by contributing to real change in a world that desperately needs it.
Why forests are important to me
As a child I was fortunate to have forests close to home and more often than not, that’s where you would find the younger me. While I spend more time in cities and staring at screens than I would like, my appreciation and love of forests has not diminished. Forests provide so many things for us in addition to wood: fresh air, clean drinking water, flood control, carbon sequestration, critical wildlife habitat, recreation opportunities and foundations for many cultures and values.
Why Canopy
I have admired Canopy’s smart, strategic and solutions-focused work for years, so it is an honor to be a part of the team. I love how Canopy blends big bold visions with a pragmatic approach to problem solving. It is great to work alongside my talented, passionate and fun-loving Canopals to save Ancient & Endangered forests.
Ask me about
Patrolling sea turtle nesting beaches in Costa Rica, wild mushroom hunting, solar cooking, stand up comedy and conifers of the North American west coast.
What ruffles my feathers
Drivers on their phones, online influencers treating the natural world poorly (trampling super-blooms, harassing wildlife), planned obsolescence and, for some reason, toe-socks.
My name means “famous wolf” in old Norse so I have always felt an affinity for wolves. Like me, they work well in groups, but individuals can disperse to explore new habitats on their own. They use stamina and endurance to hunt and I have always been more of a long-distance runner than a sprinter. I love that they are both highly intelligent but also playful; I try to make space for both work and play in my life.
