THE PLAN'S VISION
"New Zealand is acknowledged as a global leader in the use of forests, and local communities are empowered through meaningful employment. The sector and our forests are resilient and diverse, and wood underpins our low emissions future. "
Making better use of our forestry resources
The plan aims to support us to make better use of our forestry resources by processing more wood onshore, producing more high-value wood products, and using residues to grow the forest-based bioeconomy.
This will:
- create more higher-paid jobs
- build resilience in the sector
- support our climate change goals.
The Forestry and Wood Processing Industry Transformation Plan [PDF, 11 MB]
The plan is based around 4 priority areas
- Create the foundations for a transformed sector: Transformation will require a greater level of collaboration across the sector, the right skills, the right regulatory settings and the science system all working in concert.
- Grow forests and supply wood for the future: Diversifying and improving the productivity of our plantation forests will improve the resilience of the sector, drive growth and innovation, and expand the range of wood products we can produce.
- Modernise and expand domestic wood processing: Processing more wood onshore will enable New Zealand to produce more and a larger range of high-value sustainable products and will create jobs in the regions.
- Develop sustainable markets for high-value wood products: Diversifying our export markets and product mix will improve the sector's resilience to economic shocks and help meet demand from the construction sector at peak times.
Plan to boost value & lift sustainability of NZ forestry sector – Government media release
Cabinet papers
Releasing the final Forestry and Wood Processing Industry Transformation Plan [PDF, 705 KB]
Releasing the draft Forestry and Wood Processing Industry Transformation Plan for public consultation [PDF, 5.8 MB]
How we developed the plan
We released a draft Forestry and Wood Processing Industry Transformation Plan for consultation on 19 August 2022. Consultation closed on 30 September 2022.
Consultation on the draft Forestry ITP
Te Uru Rākau – New Zealand Forest Service partnered with a range of groups to inform the draft plan, including:
- Forestry and Wood Processing ITP advisory group
- Forestry Ministerial Advisory Group
- Farm Foresters Association
- Forest Owners Association
- Wood Processing and Manufacturing Association
- Bioenergy Association
- New Zealand Institute of Forestry
- Ngā Pou a Tāne
- New Zealand Timber Industry Federation.
Summary of the data that supported the draft Forestry ITP [XLSX, 301 KB]
Work is already happening
Some actions in the plan are already under way as funding was available.
One of these, a new industry advisory service (the Timber Design Centre), was launched in March 2022. The centre gives advice on timber use in the design and construction of buildings. Its focus is on structures such as offices, hotels, and multi-storey apartments.
Media release: Timber Design Centre to enable innovative building (2 March 2022)
Enabling sector transformation
Alongside the industry transformation plan, the sector is investing to kick-start a range of initiatives outlined in the plan. When the plan was launched, the Government announced it would invest an initial $2.5 million plus another $1 million from industry contributions, for the first set of initiatives which include:
- providing support for a Māori forestry strategy
- a diversification programme to improve the opportunities for non-radiata species to be grown and milled in New Zealand
- establishing New Zealand's first post-graduate qualification in wood processing
- scaling up the 'Wood – Our Low-Carbon Future' campaign that demonstrates the benefits of low-carbon products derived from locally grown logs
- research that identifies how the use of wood products can be increased, by improving standards, and options to recognise the benefits of carbon stored in wood products
- a business case for a new facility to support commercialisation of bio products.
More detail on these and other potential projects will be made available as they are finalised.
Forestry and Wood Processing Industry Transformation Plan Advisory Group
We partnered with an advisory group to help develop the Forestry and Wood Processing Industry Transformation Plan. The group is made up of leaders representing the industry, workforce, science institutions, and Māori. The group meets regularly to discuss the objectives of the plan and the policy options to achieve them.
Lees Seymour, who has decades of experience in the sector and is the managing director of the Nelson Consulting Group, is independent group chair of the advisory group. Other members are:
- Bruce Habgood – convenor of the Engineering, Infrastructure and Extractives Industry Council, E tū
- Clayton Harris – chief executive, Carter Holt Harvey
- Daniel Gudsell – founding director, Abodo Wood
- David Turner – executive director, Sequal Lumber
- Dean Satchell – land management advisor, Northland Regional Council
- Florian Graichen – general manager, Forest to Biobased Products, Scion
- Jon Ryder – chief executive officer, Oji Fibre Solutions
- Kent Chalmers – market and logistics manager, City Forests
- Louisa Jones – assistant general secretary, First Union
- Marty Verry – group chief executive, Red Stag Timber, Red Stag Forests, Red Stag Wood Solutions
- Megan Struthers – associate director, business development, New Forests Asset Management Pty Limited
- Robert Green – managing director, Australasia Timberland Operations, Hancock Natural Resources Group
- Te Kapunga Dewes – Te To (chief executive), Whenua Oho
- Tony Haworth – investment manager, Te Taurapa Tūhono New Zealand Trade & Enterprise
- Vanessa Eparaima – director of CNI Iwi Holdings Ltd, chair of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
Research reports to support development of the plan
For more information about the reports, email ForestryWoodProcessingITP@mpi.govt.nz
- Investment in the use of commercial forest biomass to move New Zealand towards carbon-zero [PDF, 7.1 MB]
This research report (Stage 1 of the Wood Fibre Futures Project) looks into wood processing and biofuel opportunities in NZ. (September 2020) - New Zealand Wood Fibre Futures Project – Stage 2 final main report [PDF, 9.2 MB]
Proposes how various types of wood processing and biofuel plants might be established in NZ from 2024 to 2040, and how the government might encourage investment in plants. (April 2022) - Analysis of access to innovation facilities [PDF, 1.1 MB]
An analysis of access to innovation facilities in a range of sectors including forestry and wood processing. Co-funded by MBIE. (Sapere, 2021) - An analysis of the logistical options for improving log supply conditions for processors in Northland and other regions facing supply constraints [PDF, 1.7 MB]
Economic modelling and options to improve the economics of log supply in wood-constrained regions such as Northland. (Forme Consulting Group, 2019) - Carbon footprint of New Zealand buildings [PDF, 402 KB]
A report measuring the embodied carbon benefits (emissions of a building during its lifespan) of increasing the number of timber buildings in NZ. (PLT Structural Consultants, 2021) - Comparative economic analysis of pruned and structural products throughout the forest supply chain [PDF, 1.1 MB]
Explores the economics of pruned timber. Suggests further areas of research and highlights issues that prevent more widespread pruning. - Managing a steady base flow of log supply to Northland mills and other supply constrained regions, through warehousing models [PDF, 2.8 MB]
Looks at a range of issues around log supply. Explores the aggregation of wood supply using warehousing models to improve certainty of log flow, particularly from small growers. (Scion, 2019) - Review of precompetitive activities in key forest products exporting countries [PDF, 5.9 MB]
An assessment of approaches used by main international wood exporting countries to support their sectors to be competitive. Includes in-country and international support. (Indufor, August 2021) - Wood manufacturing clusters international case studies [PDF, 5.8 MB]
This report reviews the experiences of 13 countries that are taking very different approaches in adding value to their forestry resource, centred on regional clustering.
Who to contact
If you have questions about the plan or advisory group, email ForestryWoodProcessingITP@mpi.govt.nz