Australia and New Zealand launch landmark forest valuation standard

Setting a major new benchmark for the forestry sector, Forestry Australia and the New Zealand Institute of Forestry (NZIF) are proud to launch the Australia & New Zealand Forest Valuation Standard.

The ANZ Forest Valuation Standard, a joint NZIF and Forestry Australia initiative, is the result of nearly a decade’s work by the national associations to bring together their country-level forest standards into a single document capable of representing plantation and native forests.

The first Australia & New Zealand Forest Valuation Standard was developed in consultation with forest professionals, researchers, industry and practitioners on both sides of the Tasman. It reflects the latest thinking and best practice in forest valuation across both countries and is designed to assist valuation practitioners, forest managers, investors, and those reporting forest values.

Dr Michelle Freeman, President of Forestry Australia, said: “The merging of the separate country-level standards held by Forestry Australia and New Zealand Institute of Forestry is a significant milestone. It reflects the strength and value of ongoing collaboration and partnership between our countries, our industries and professional organisations.

“Importantly, while the ANZ Forest Valuation Standard is intended to address common interests of our national forest industries, it is flexible enough to allow for differences. The Standard will be an evolving tool to help shape the forest sector’s future and support continued innovation and improvement, as markets, reporting expectations, and sustainability considerations continue to evolve.

Concurrent with the ANZ Forest Valuation Standard, Forestry Australia has launched the Australian Carbon Standard Exposure Draft, to sit along-side the existing New Zealand Carbon Standard.

Forestry Australia has also recently examined the implications for Australian reporting entities arising from the newly mandated Australian Accounting Standards Board Climate Related Disclosures (AASB S2).

These latest developments will be examined at the upcoming Forestry Australia Valuation Standard Summit, to be held later this month in Melbourne.

Convenor of the Forestry Australia Valuation Committee Keith Lamb said “We are proud to celebrate the launch of the new ANZ Forest Valuation Standards and to showcase our work in Climate Related Disclosures. The Summit will also provide us an opportunity to recognise the work of those who preceded us. Professor Ian Ferguson and Dr Jerry Leech who prepared the first Australian Standard in the early 2000’s, and Professor Bruce Manley and Messrs Bill Liley and Brian Rawley who pioneered the New Zealand Standard over 30 years ago”

James Treadwell, President of the New Zealand Institute of Forestry, said:
“Our members have contributed voluntary time and expertise to forest valuation standards for more than three decades. The first New Zealand standard was developed in the 1990s and has been continually refined since then as markets, reporting expectations, and forest management practices have evolved.

This joint Australia and New Zealand Forest Valuation Standard is an important step forward. It reflects the strong professional relationship between the New Zealand Institute of Forestry and Forestry Australia and provides a consistent framework which will strengthen valuation practice across both countries.

On behalf of NZIF, I would like to acknowledge the many members, in particular Bruce Manley (convenor since 1993) and Bill Liley, who have contributed their time over the years to developing and maintaining these standards. Their voluntary work underpins confidence in how forest assets are valued and reported.”

The development of the Standard has been supported by Forest & Wood Products Australia (FWPA), Jodie Mason, Head of Forest Research at FWPA remarked that, “FWPA is proud to have supported the finalisation of the Standard and development of the Australian Carbon Standard Exposure Draft.

Forests deliver significant economic, social, environmental and carbon value – and this Standard sets an important benchmark for conventional forest valuations and provides a strong platform for building on valuation of non-wood forest values. Recognising value consistently and transparently strengthens confidence in forestry across Australia and New Zealand.”

The Standard will be unpacked at the Forest Valuation Summit in Melbourne later this month, featuring more than 23 speakers from Australia, New Zealand and overseas. The program includes Professor Rodney Keenan (University of Melbourne), Dr Michelle Freeman (Forestry Australia), James Treadwell (NZIF), Jodie Mason (FWPA), Nick Ping (Manulife Investment Management), Dr Eleanor Tew (Forestry England), Michael Barbara (J.P. Morgan), Alexandra White (Deloitte), and Shakir Rahman (Clean Energy Regulator).

Dr Freeman observed that, “the release of the Standard is more than just a launch. It is a practical step toward stronger valuation practices, better reporting, and greater confidence in forestry’s role in investment, sustainability, and the economy. By combining trans-Tasman expertise, the Standard aims to provide a stronger foundation for assessing, communicating, and understanding forest value across the sector.”

Link to the Standard:
https://www.forestry.org.au/forest-valuation-standards/

About Forestry Australia

Forestry Australia is a not-for-profit, independent professional association. It represents forest scientists, foresters, managers, and growers across Australia. Formerly known as the Institute of Foresters of Australia and Australian Forest Growers, it has more than 1,100 members. Members support healthy, resilient forests through evidence-based practice and active, adaptive, sustainable management. They work across natural and planted forests, on public and private land, to deliver environmental, economic, cultural, and social outcomes.

Background: Forest Valuation Summit

The 2026 Forest Valuation Summit: Valuing and Reporting Sustainability in our Forests will be held on Monday, 30 and Tuesday, 31 March 2026 at the Rendezvous Hotel, 328 Flinders Street, Melbourne. The two-day event will bring together forest sector leaders, valuers, investors and stakeholders to examine the future of forest valuation in Australia. The Summit will feature the launch of the first Australia-New Zealand Forest Valuation Standard and will explore how changing expectations around sustainability, carbon, natural capital and climate-related financial disclosure are influencing valuation practice and reporting.”

Speakers currently listed in the official program are: Keith Lamb, Prof Rodney Keenan, James Treadwell, Dr Michelle Freeman, Bill Liley, Alex Thamm, Jodie Mason, Andrew Morton, Jessica Brown, Brian McGlynn, Nick Ping, Ross Hampton, Dr Eleanor Tew, Ziggy Gelman, Rayne van den Berg, Daryl Killin, Andrew Morgan, Shakir Rahman, Anthony McKenna, Michael Barbara, Jack Bisset, Glen Rivers, Emily Simso, Alexandra White, Jonathan Dash, Dr Jim O’Hehir, Alexa Mayer-Bosse, Phoebe Baker, Dr Lyndall Bull and Jacquie Martin.

ENDS

For further information:
Jason Ross
Marketing & Communications Manager
M: 0448 190 055