Forestry Futures: A Century of Innovation, Sustainability, and Growth

Bringing together the New Zealand Institute of Forestry and our Australian Forestry colleagues to mark one hundred years of progress and partnership.

This joint conference celebrates the sector’s achievements and looks ahead to the opportunities and challenges of the next century. Over several days, we will reflect on the people, ideas, and innovations which have shaped today’s forests, while engaging with leading thinkers on climate, land use, technology, and investment.

Set in our capital city and timed to coincide with NZIF’s centennial, the event offers a rare chance to connect across the Tasman, share practical experience, and help define the future direction of forestry in our region. Whether you’re a practitioner, investor, researcher, or policymaker, this conference is worth attending.

Programme

Forestry Futures Conference Venue Tākina

Tākina is conveniently located in Wellington CBD’s cultural precinct, near transport links, entertainment, dining, and accommodation. Wellington’s central location in New Zealand offers easy access by air, road, train, or ferry. Wellington Airport serves domestic flights and is a short flight from Australia’s east coast. The 15-minute airport-to-city commute is the longest visitors will have during their stay.

Tākina is at 50 Cable Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6011.

We invite you to join us.

Join us in Wellington for this landmark event marking one hundred years of forestry and setting the course for the future. Step back from your daily work, reconnect with colleagues from across New Zealand and Australia, and be part of conversations shaping our sector’s future. Hear from experienced practitioners and new voices, share ideas, and build lasting relationships. Your perspective matters, and your contribution will define the next chapter.

Register

Emerging Stronger – Speakers

  • Hon. Todd McClay

    Todd McClay is the Minister of Agriculture, Minister of Forestry, Minister for Hunting and Fishing, Minister for Trade, and Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs. He has been the MP for Rotorua since 2008.

    Todd held several Ministerial roles in the Fifth National Government with portfolios including Trade, State-Owned Enterprises and Revenue.

    Todd has previously been a diplomat and was the Cook Islands and Niue Ambassador to the European Union. He has worked in business in Europe as well as government and public relations internationally.

  • Melissa Clarke-Reynolds

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  • Professor Shaun Hendy

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  • Scarlet Roxby

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  • James Palmer

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  • Nick Leggatt

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  • Warwick James

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  • Michael Barbara

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  • Patrick Smellie

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  • Ramona Radford

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  • Rob de Fégely

    Rob de Fégely AM, MSc, FFA, FAICD is a registered forestry professional.  He holds several non-executive board roles including Chair of Sustainable Timber Tasmania, Director of Forestry Corporation of NSW and the Bega Circularity Co-operative Inc.  He is an Advisory Board member of the Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo) Forest Investment Trust.  He was formerly Chair of the Commonwealth Governments Forest Industry Advisory Council and a Non-Executive Director of VicForests.  He is a past President of the Institute of Foresters of Australia (now Forestry Australia) and an Advisory Board Member of the Commonwealth Forestry Association.  He has an interest in indigenous forest management and was the foundation Chair of Cape York Timber. He has worked in plantations and natural forests for 45 years and undertaken projects in every state and territory in Australia, New Zealand and the Asia Pacific. He specialises in governance and industry strategy and investment. He has a BSc (Forestry) from the Australian National University and an MSc from Aberdeen University in the UK. He is a Fellow of Forestry Australia and the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He and his wife Sarah live on a small beef and sheep farm on the far south coast of NSW.

  • Geoff Manks

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  • Sam Van Holsbeeck

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  • Barnsy

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  • Jeff Ilott

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  • Francisco Tovar

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  • Cameron Bagrie

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  • Graham Wilkinson

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  • Alfred Duval

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CPD Presenters

  • Peter Casey

    Peter is the CEO of New Zealand Carbon Farming (NZCF), joining NZCF in 2017. He has 21 years’ experience in the Forestry sector and 20 years in the Transport, Chemicals, Property and Finance sectors.

    Peter is a long term member of the New Zealand Institute of Forestry (NZIF), a NZIF Registered Forestry Professional and a Chartered Accountant.  Since 2018 he has been the Chair of the NZIF Registration Board and is passionate about provision of high quality forest management advice. NZCF increased since 2017 the area of its actively managed forest by 390%, being the largest NZ owner of planted managed forest. Peters holds a B,For.Sc (Hons), MBA, and Post Graduate Accounting Diploma.

Breakfast Speakers

  • Cherie Rangiahua

    DIVERSE VOICES

    Ko Cherie (Mena) Rangiahua ahau, he uri nō Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Porou, Tainui, me Te Arawa.

    Forestry has been my lifelong passion, shaped by hands-on experience in Kaingaroa and Te Whaiti and international work in Australia. My expertise spans operational forestry, strategic resource management, and emerging technologies, complemented by academic studies in computing and environmental policy. I am committed to empowering Whenua Māori, ensuring sustainable growth through partnerships with Interpine, Whenua Oho, and Ngahere Oho. My work fosters kaitiakitanga, unlocking opportunities for future generations while preserving our whenua and cultural heritage.

  • Greg Adlam

    CARBON

    Greg has a background in financial markets and involvement in the NZ carbon market, since 2004, and the Australia ACCU scheme. Most focus is on ensuring parties can apply for their forest areas entry into the NZ-ETS and complying with the legislation. Greg chairs the NZIF Carbon Policy and ETS Committee and is a founding member of the ETS Forum which looks to have practitioners and Te Uru Rākau co-operating in relation to operational NZETS matters and Tupu-ake outcomes.

Become a Sponsor.

Sponsoring Forestry Futures offers a unique chance to align your organisation with a significant moment for New Zealand and Australian forestry. This joint conference will bring together senior leaders, forest owners, investors, policymakers, and practitioners, providing direct access to an engaged and influential audience. As a sponsor, you’ll position your brand alongside the centennial of the New Zealand Institute of Forestry, demonstrating long term commitment to the sector’s future. Sponsorship also fosters meaningful connections, conversations, partnerships, and shared ideas that shape the next century of forestry.

Sponsor

ANZIF Acknowledges and Thanks all of Our Sponsors

  • Awards Dinner

  • Creative Partner

Field Trips

  • Cape Sanctuary

    Cape Sanctuary is New Zealand’s largest privately owned and funded ‘mainland island’ conservation project, running since 2006.

    In a mere fifteen years Cape Sanctuary has transformed the peninsula into a biodiversity hub that has influenced birdlife across the region. Extensive reforestation and restoration efforts, along with our zero tolerance of predators has resulted in the successful translocation of 19 endemic species and the self-reintroduction of many more.

    Experience the impact of Cape Sanctuary's conservation efforts in real-time through up-close encounters with endangered species. Learn about Cape Sanctuary's nationally significant sand-dune restoration, coastal revegetation, species translocations and leading sea-bird restoration projects. Enjoy one of Hawke's Bay's best kept secrets

    Cape Sanctuary Website

  • Pan Pac site visit

    On 14 February 2023, Cyclone Gabrielle struck the East Coast, causing significant damage and loss of life. Pan Pac’s Whirinaki site was flooded with 2m of silt and water causing significant damage to the plant. Fortunately, no workers were harmed. Over the coming months, hundreds of staff and contractors worked hard to remove the silt and recover any equipment possible. It took over a year before operations could begin to resume.

    Pan Pac’s forests were also impacted, with trees being lost to slips, windthrow and silt. Roading and infrastructure were damaged preventing workers from accessing the forests for several weeks. During that time, Pan Pac staff and contractors worked actively to support the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s clean-up programme in the region. As the forests became accessible and debris were removed, work was undertaken to build greater resilience including replacing bridges and culverts to withstand more extreme weather events

    Pan Pac Website

Forestry Futures - Accomodation

We have secured some great deals for the Forestry Futures Conference which are listed here. When booking your accommodation, make sure you mention “Forestry Futures” to get our special rate.

  • The conference will be held from June 26 - 28 June 2025 at the Napier War Memorial Centre in Napier, New Zealand.

  • This conference is designed for forestry professionals, environmentalists, policy-makers, researchers, infrastructure experts, and anyone interested in post-cyclone recovery, sustainable forestry practices, and infrastructure resilience.

  • The conference focuses on strengthening forests, infrastructure an communities in the aftermath of cyclones, exploring innovative strategies, and enhancing resilience against future climate events.

  • You can register online by visiting the www.nzifevents.nz and clicking the ‘Book now’ button. Early registration is encouraged to secure your spot.

  • The registration fees vary based on if you are a NZIF member or not.

    Registration fees include the 2 days of conference, attendance at the awards dinner and the field trips. There are separate fees if you wish to attend the CPD sessions on the day before the conference.

  • We aim to keep the fees as low as possible for members.

    If you are not a NZIF member you may wish to consider joining (as an associate) as this will give you access to member Registration and will be less than paying a non-member fee. There are some free rates for students who are displaying a poster as well as help for recent graduates.

    To access this please email events@nzif.org.nz

  • Yes, we have partnered with several hotels near the Conference Centre. You can find a list of recommended hotels in the "Accommodation" section on our website.

  • The venue is easily accessible and generally walkable from most hotels in Napier. There is parking is available behind the centre, with free parking tickets available at the Registeration desk. Detailed directions and a map are provided in the "Venue Information" section of our website.

  • Travel and accommodation expenses are not covered by the conference. Attendees are responsible for making their own arrangements.

  • The Hawke’s Bay Airport is an 8km drive, which takes approximately 12 minutes from the venue for those guests coming from outside Hawke's Bay.

  • Yes, most sessions will be recorded and made available to registered participants after the conference. Access details will be shared via email.

  • Refund policies vary based on the time of cancellation. Please review the cancellation policy in the "Registration" section for detailed information. In general there will be no refund for cancellations within 6 weeks of the event.

  • Complimentary WiFi is available throughout the venue. A password will be provided on arrival.

  • We recommend bringing your registration confirmation, a notepad or tablet for taking notes, business cards for networking, and any specific materials related to your area of interest. There will be a conference bag for each delegate with pen and pad inside.

  • Sponsorship opportunities are available and can be customised to fit your organisation's needs. Please visit the "Sponsors & Partners" section or contact our sponsorship coordinator (president@nzif.org.nz) for more details.

  • Yes, there will be an exhibition area showcasing products, services, and innovations related to forestry and infrastructure. Details about exhibiting are in the sponsorship pack, please contact president@nzif.org.nz to receive a pack.

  • Yes we will be running 4 CPD programs starting at 10.30 on the 25th and finishing at 3pm approximately

  • Yes non members can attend the CPD sessions if they register for them.

     Please register on the website.

  • Yes the 2025 NZIF AGM will be held on the 25th of June after the CPD sessions starting at 3pm. There will be post AGM networking drinks held after the AGM starting approximately 5pm

  • No the AGM is for NZIF members only.

  • We are committed to ensuring the safety of all participants. The venue will adhere to the latest public health guidelines, and hand sanitisers will be available throughout the conference. On the field trip we will be abiding by the Health and Safety requirements of the hosting organisation; however sensible shoes for outdoor walking and a coat is recommended.

  • If you feel unwell, please inform a Conference Committee member immediately.

  • Yes the centre has a wall mounted AED in the administration office.

FAQ’s