Aratu Forests

What Aratu Forests does

Aratu Forests Limited is a privately held forestry estate and asset management business headquartered in the Gisborne District (Tairāwhiti) of New Zealand's North Island. The company manages approximately 27,000 hectares of radiata pine plantation on 35,000 hectares of freehold, forest rights, and leasehold land, making it one of the largest consolidated forestry estates on the East Coast. In its current form the company dates to July 2019, when New Forests managed funds (ANZFF3 and co-investors) acquired the prior Hikurangi Forest Farms business from Samling and relaunched it under the Aratu brand. Ownership sits with offshore institutional investors that are clients of the Australian-based international forestry investment manager New Forests.

The company runs the full radiata forestry value chain in-house and for third-party clients: land preparation, forest establishment, transition to native species, silviculture (pruning and thinning), harvest planning, mapping and GIS, environmental monitoring, and engineering design. Operational technology includes an internal GIS used to record nesting sites and species sightings, monthly AI-supported drone imagery analysis for woody debris detection, a long-tailed bat monitoring program active since 2010, NZ Falcon and Kākābeak protection programs, and Swiss-designed Geobrugg steel debris-flow barriers deployed after storm events. Strategic initiatives include the Waimanu Forest Biodiversity Enhancement Project (targeting iconic biodiversity status by 2028 across 2,075.5 hectares), a native seedling partnership with the Uawanui Nursery, and the $6,000 Mackey (George) Papuni Scholarship for forestry students from Tairāwhiti.

Revenue is generated through three streams: timber sales from Aratu's own radiata plantation estate, fee-based managed services sold to private landowners in the Gisborne and wider East Coast region, and transaction-based permit fees for public and contractor forest access during designated seasons. Go-to-market is direct enterprise relationship management with landowners, iwi, catchment groups, regional councils, and Department of Conservation partners, supported by community sponsorships covering 80+ local groups rather than traditional digital sales channels. The customer base is intentionally broad: enterprise landowners, mana whenua and hapū, community organizations, and individual permit buyers.

Name

Aratu Forests

Legal name

Aratu Forests Limited

Website

https://aratuforests.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Aratu Forests Limited is a Gisborne-based forestry estate and asset management business managing 27,000 hectares of radiata pine plantation on New Zealand's East Coast, offering timber production and professional forest management services to landowners, iwi, and regional councils.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Forestry & Forest Asset Management

NAICS

Timber Tract Operations (113110), Support Activities for Forestry (1153)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Timberland Asset Management (Institutional/Private) (AFAMAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Forest Management & Silviculture Services (Cruising, Planning, Compliance) (IMAMAAAD), Timberland GIS, Remote Sensing & Data Analytics (AFAMAKAG), Timberland Operations Planning & Contractor Management (AFAMAKAE)

Keywords

• Forest estate management
• Sustainable timber production
• Plantation forestry services
• Forest asset management
• Silviculture and harvesting

Headquarters

HQ city

Gisborne

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Timber Production and Harvesting: Radiata pine plantation management and harvesting operations generating revenue from timber sales. The company manages approximately 27,000 hectares of plantation forest producing commercial timber.
2. Forest Management Services: Professional forest management services offered to third-party landowners including land preparation, forest establishment, silviculture operations, harvest planning, mapping, GIS services, environmental monitoring, and engineering design.
3. Permit and Entry Fees: Revenue generated from issuing entry permits for public and contractor access to forest lands during designated seasons.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Aratu Forests Limited manages ~27,000 hectares of radiata pine plantation across ~35,000 hectares of freehold, forest rights, and leasehold land in New Zealand's Gisborne (Tairāwhiti) and East Coast regions. It sells commercial timber from its estate and provides end-to-end forest management services to private landowners — including land preparation, establishment, silviculture (pruning and thinning), harvest planning, mapping and GIS, environmental monitoring, and engineering design. It also issues public and contractor entry permits and operates biodiversity and debris-management programs alongside iwi and community partners.

Product overview

Aratu Forests Limited operates as a high-quality forestry estate and asset management business managing approximately 27,000 hectares of radiata pine plantation on 35,000 hectares of land in the Gisborne District of New Zealand. The company's core offerings include Forest Management Services (land preparation, establishment, silviculture, harvest planning, engineering design, and environmental monitoring), public and contractor entry permit systems, and environmental sustainability initiatives. Key strategic projects include the Waimanu Forest Biodiversity Project aimed at establishing the forest as an iconic example of enhanced biodiversity by 2028, and debris management infrastructure using Swiss-designed steel nets. The company also supports the community through the Mackey (George) Papuni Scholarship and various sponsorships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Forest Management Services Comprehensive forest and land use management services covering land preparation, forest establishment, transition to native species, silviculture operations (pruning and thinning), mapping and GIS services, environmental monitoring, harvest planning, and engineering design. Sold to private landowners and property owners in the Gisborne/Tairāwhiti region and East Coast of New Zealand.
• Public Entry Permits Permits allowing public access to selected Aratu Forests during specified seasons (first weekend of May to last weekend of September) for recreational activities including hunting. Sold to members of the public seeking legal forest access.
• Contractor Entry Permits Entry permits issued to contractors to access the Aratu Forests estate for forestry operations, with restrictions on hunting during summer months. Sold to contractors performing work on the estate.
• Environmental Monitoring & Sustainability Services Protection and monitoring services covering Rare, Threatened and Endangered Species (RTES) including long-tailed bats (pekapeka-tou-roa), Kākābeak (Ngutukākā), and NZ Falcon (Karearea), plus management of Protected Management Areas and native remnants. Delivered to landowners and partners across the estate.
• Public Entry Permits Permits allowing public access to selected Aratu Forests during specified seasons for recreational activities including hunting.

Quantifiable outcome

• Managed 27,000 hectares of radiata pine plantation producing sustainable timber
• +4 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GeobruggcoreTechnology or Integration · 17 October 2024Swiss-based company and pioneer of debris net technology. Aratu is partnering with Geobrugg to install high strength steel debris nets on private properties bordering their forests to manage woody debris flow following storm events. Geobrugg has installed over 250 debris flow barriers in more than 25 countries including New Zealand.
• Te Aitanga a Hauiti Centre of Excellence TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023The trust runs the Uawanui Nursery in Tolaga Bay. A memorandum of understanding was signed in November 2023 creating a partnership where Aratu grants the nursery access to native seedlings from their forests. The nursery grows seedlings and sells them back to Aratu for riparian planting and environmental projects.
• Uawanui CadetsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Uawanui Cadets to produce native seedlings, supporting youth employment and environmental restoration in the Tolaga Bay region.
• eLandNZminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership prioritises Waimanu forest riparian native planting zones as part of the Waimanu biodiversity enhancement project.
• Waimatā Catchment GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatchment group that Waimanu Forest feeds into. Partner in the Waimanu Forest biodiversity enhancement project to protect and enhance waterways.
• Gisborne District CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgreement with Council in December 2024 to improve forestry management practices, particularly regarding woody debris management in Te Marunga Forest. Settlement includes commitments to establish debris nets, remove woody debris from landing sites and waterways under strict timelines.
• Hawke's Bay Regional CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorthern Catchment team of HBRC attended the East Coast branch field trip in May 2025. Regional council advisors engaged in forestry management and catchment protection discussions.
• Department of ConservationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAratu works closely alongside the Department of Conservation to protect endangered species including Kākābeak (Ngutukākā). The DoC website lists long-tailed bats as 'nationally critical' - the highest threat ranking.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Summit Forests: Summit Forests is a New Zealand-based forest management and harvesting business with East Coast and Hawke's Bay exposure. Direct regional peer to Aratu given overlapping geographies, service offerings, and radiata pine focus.
• Lake Taupo Forest Management: Lake Taupo Forest Management oversees large-scale forestry estates in the central North Island under iwi and institutional ownership. Comparably structured as a regionally focused, sustainability-oriented forest manager with similar third-party and asset management lines.

Broad incumbents

• Hancock Natural Resource Group: Hancock Natural Resource Group (a Manulife Investment Management business) is one of the world's largest timberland investment managers with extensive NZ and Australasian plantation exposure. Highly comparable to Aratu's parent New Forests given institutional scale and ESG-driven management approach.
• Rayonier Advanced Materials: Rayonier is a US-listed timber REIT with global plantation ownership including NZ assets and a focus on sustainable forest management. Compares as a large incumbent in the institutional timberland space with similar asset management and sustainability emphasis.

Direct peers

• Ernslaw One: Ernslaw One is one of New Zealand's largest privately-owned plantation forestry managers and timber producers operating across multiple regions. It is a direct peer given its scale, radiata pine focus, and vertically integrated forest ownership and management model comparable to Aratu.
• PF Olsen: PF Olsen is a NZ-headquartered forestry management and harvest contractor providing silviculture, harvest planning, and forest management services to forest owners. Directly comparable to Aratu's third-party management offering and radiata pine harvest operations.
• Timberlands NZ: Timberlands NZ invests in and manages forestry assets across New Zealand, including radiata pine plantations and related carbon assets. Direct peer given its institutional forestry investment model, regional estate scale, and asset management focus similar to Aratu's New Forests ownership.

Emerging players

• Mataora Forestry: Mataora Forestry is a Māori-owned forestry business in the Gisborne region focused on indigenous forestry, native planting, and iwi-led land restoration. Comparable to Aratu for its Tairāwhiti footprint, iwi partnership model, and pivot toward biodiversity and native species.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aratuforestsltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Aratu Forests