This is an advisory and forestry investment management firm which manages assets in the Asia Pacific region, the US, Australia and New Zealand. The company invests in assets which deliver traditional timber returns. It also invests in emerging environmental markets like water quality, carbon and biodiversity. The staff at New Forests are highly skilled and experienced professionals in operational forestry, finance, environmental management and timberland investment. New Forests possesses an Australian Financial Services License which demonstrates it’s financial and compliance systems.
The company attempts to optimize returns from the timberland through the natural benefits of the forests’ ‘ecosystem services’. These services have gradually generated commercial value with the emerging of the environmental markets. The carbon market globally generated US$64 billion in 2007. The company is skilled in building transaction structures and ‘timber plus’ business models. This will give exposures to investors for new opportunities.
Established on July 1, 2005, New Forests has since expanded by opening an office in 2007 in Washington, DC and another in 2008 in San Francisco. It has plans for further growth by selling a minority equity position to Generation Investment Management. There are four shareholders in the company. They are Mirvac Capital Investments (previously James Fielding Investments), David Brand (Managing Director), Generation Investment Management and John Rogers.
In Australia
The company manages 20,000 hectares of land in southwest Western Australia, Southwest Victoria and Southern South Australia. In Northern New South Wales, New Forests also manages an extra 8,500hectares. All these land are situated in the premium forestry regions of the country. The company manages the carbon pool and the land which is an AU$50 million asset.
In New Zealand
Here it manages high-quality radiata pine plantations in a 14,000 hectare forestry estate. It is situated in the Gisborne region and is valued at over AU$50 million. It is managed for timber production and has prospective value for renewable energy developments and in carbon trading markets.
In the Asia Pacific
In the Solomon Islands –The Kolombangara Forest Products Ltd (KFPL) on the island of Kolombangara is managed by the company. It manages 39,000-hectare of estate featuring 12,000 hectares of hardwood plantations which includes teak, gmelina, mahogany, eucalyptus and others. It also includes over 25,000 hectares of natural rainforest.
In Hawaii- here it manages a Eucalyptus grandis plantation spread over 3,700 acres of land on behalf of Cambium Global Timberland Ltd. It also includes an intact native forest of over 2,400 acres which is rich in biodiversity.
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