New Zealand forest management

We've been providing sustainable plantation management services in New Zealand since 2004, and we're passionately committed to providing a safe working environment and responsible stewardship on the properties we manage.

Manulife Investment Management is committed to managing our clients’ forests sustainably and responsibly. It's our goal to protect the future productivity of the land and ensure that the soil, water, biodiversity, and community values of the forests we manage are maintained or improved over time. In 2021, Hancock Natural Resource Group adopted the Manulife Investment Management brand. In New Zealand, our forest operations now operate under Manulife Investment Management Forest Management (NZ) Ltd (MFM (NZ))—formerly Hancock Forest Management New Zealand Ltd.

Property management

As of March 31, 2024, we manage over 208,500 hectares (515,200 acres) of plantation forests on behalf of three clients. Our clients’ forests are located in Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Horizons (Manawatu-Wanganui), and Hawke’s Bay regions.

Our forest management plan public summary gives a general overview of our operations

Download the report

Safe working environment

Safety is a core value at MFM (NZ). To us, nothing is more important than providing a safe working environment, and no business objective will take priority over health and safety.

Life-saving rules

MFM (NZ) is committed to the concept that all injuries and occupational illnesses are preventable and that all employees deserve the right to return home from work safe and healthy. Safety is the responsibility of every employee, and MFM (NZ) recognizes that this responsibility must be shared among management, employees, and contractors. All personnel working for or with MFM (NZ) accept these responsibilities and are empowered to suspend any activity they reasonably believe is unsafe or that can't be continued in a safe manner.

Watch the video

Forest induction

MFM (NZ) expects all persons who intend to enter the forest to undertake a health and safety induction, and all persons wishing to apply for a permit must first undertake the induction. The induction takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes to complete.

Learn more

Our policies, system manuals, and stakeholder newsletters

Sustainable management of natural resources

We're committed to managing our clients’ forests sustainably and responsibly. It’s our goal to protect the future productivity of the land and ensure long-term maintenance and improvement of the soil, water, biodiversity, and community values of the forests we manage. We believe that working constructively with our stakeholders and the communities in which we operate is crucial to our enduring success.

FSC^® certification

The Forest Stewardship Council^® (FSC) is an international not-for-profit organization established in 1994. Its mission is to “promote environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world’s forests.” FSC has a set of 10 principles and associated criteria that apply internationally. MFM (NZ) has been certified to FSC standards since 2004. To remain FSC certified, we're audited annually by independent auditors accredited to the FSC.

For more information about the FSC, please visit the FSC International website and FSC NZ website.

FSC certification audit report FSC certificate

PEFC certification

The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) is an international nonprofit, nongovernmental organization dedicated to promoting sustainable forest management through independent third-party certification. PEFC works throughout the entire forest supply chain to promote good practice in forestry and ensure that timber and nontimber forest products are produced with respect for the highest ecological, social, and ethical standards.

PEFC endorses national forest certification systems that are developed through multi-stakeholder processes and tailored to local priorities and conditions. In New Zealand, the PEFC-endorsed standard is AS/NZS 4708. The standard is administered by Standards NZ and was assessed and endorsed by the PEFC in 2015.

PEFC audit report PEFC certificate

Careers

We employ approximately 90 staff based in four locations across New Zealand—Tauranga, Tokoroa, Rotorua, and Whangārei. We also have a contractor base of more than 1,000 people. Our staff is involved in a wide variety of forest management functions, including harvesting, engineering, silviculture, forest health, mapping and resource analysis, health and safety management, environmental management, accounting, finance, and sales and marketing.

Our employees are our most valuable asset and are key to our reputation and success. We aim to provide a safe workplace where they're fully engaged and provided with the opportunity to maximize their performance and overall contribution to the business.

Contact our HR Team at mfmnzcareers@manulife.com for a list of open positions

Contact us

Tauranga

Unit B, 120 Hamilton Street
Tauranga 3110
New Zealand

Phone: +64 7 571 7920

Contact office: mfmnz@manulife.com

Tokoroa

32 Chambers Street
Tokoroa 3420
New Zealand

Phone: +64 7 885 0350

Rotorua

283 Vaughan Road Te Ngae
Rotorua 3010
New Zealand

Phone: +64 7 350 0080

Whangārei

4 Fraser Street Port Whangarei
Whangarei 01100
New Zealand

Phone: +64 9 470 1300