112. Healing Our Relationship With Nature: Purpose, Restoration, and Hope with Tim Christophersen

In this episode of What's the Point, I sit down with Tim Christophersen, one of the world's leading voices in nature restoration and conservation, to explore what really drives us as humans and how we find meaning in our relationship with the natural world. Tim's journey is a powerful human story of growth, purpose, and responsibility — and it's bigger than politics, bigger than hot-button climate debates, and deeper than soundbites. Tim shares how his love of nature began as a young boy walking through forests in Germany with his grandfather, quietly building the foundation for a life dedicated to restoring what we've lost. From living across three continents, to leading global environmental initiatives at the United Nations, to now restoring a former dairy farm in Denmark, Tim's life reflects a deep, lived commitment to purpose not as a concept — but as a way of being. We talk about what keeps him going, including his belief that we're living through a real relationship crisis with Mother Nature. Not as an abstract idea, but as a broken relationship — one where humans take, extract, and deplete instead of giving back. Tim walks us through powerful examples like the lost oyster beds of New York Harbor and the mysterious migration of the European silver eel, revealing how much richness we've lost — and how possible it is to restore it. This conversation also dives into how younger and older generations must work together, how people find meaning through restoration, and why rediscovering our connection with nature restores something inside of us too. Tim explains why this isn't just about saving forests or oceans — it's about rediscovering our life purpose, our role as stewards, and what it really means to be human. We also explore Tim's work with global movements like Generation Restoration and his current role at Salesforce, where he helps companies rethink nature as critical infrastructure instead of decoration. His message is clear: meaning isn't found in perfection — it's found in responsibility, reciprocity, and showing up differently. This episode isn't about fear. It's about hope. It's about what drives us forward. And it's a powerful reminder that restoring nature is inseparable from restoring ourselves. What's The Point? is a podcast hosted by Bill Ellis featuring real conversations with people who've figured out what matters - their purpose. Each episode explores what motivates them and how they find meaning in what they do. Connect with Bill: [e-mail] www.billellis.comwww.brandingforresults.comIG - @wcellisFacebook - @CoachBillEllisFacebook - @bill.ellis LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/wcellisBook: Women Who Won Links for This Episode: Email [e-mail] Website(s) timchristophersen.com Trello Board for visual assets: https://trello.com/b/atycizuD/generation-restoration-marketing-design-projects SOCIAL MEDIA INFO: LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-christophersen-a4876228/ Instagram tim.christophersen9 Twitter @‌TimChristo CURRENT PROJECTS Generation Restoration is my new book about repairing our broken relationship with nature. Learn how to enter into a new, rewarding and reciprocal relationship with nature that will make you happier, healthier, and wealthier. It's time to restore diversity and abundance to Planet Earth! #GenerationRestoration Quick Episode Summary: 00:00 – Welcome + Introducing Tim's mission and purpose01:00 – Living in Denmark and restoring a farm03:00 – Childhood in Germany and time with his grandfather05:00 – First experiences sensing nature's interconnectedness06:50 – Relationship vs. resource: how we misunderstand nature09:00 – Returning to roots and finding life purpose11:00 – Generation Restoration and the UN Decade13:00 – Writing the book and removing polarization15:00 – Why restoration is more powerful than conservation17:00 – Nature as infrastructure, not decoration19:00 – The oyster story and New York Harbor22:00 – The European silver eel migration25:00 – Learning from indigenous wisdom28:00 – Relationship crisis with Mother Nature31:00 – Biodiversity Jenga explained33:00 – Biggest Little Farm and nature's intelligence35:00 – Salesforce, corporations, and restoring systems38:00 – Why collaboration is necessary for the future41:00 – What individuals can actually do44:00 – Listening to nature and rediscovering purpose46:00 – Jane Goodall's influence and legacy49:00 – Why ecology and economy are connected52:00 – Tim answers "What's the point?"