The first joint Australia and New Zealand Forest Valuation Standard was launched at the 2026 Forest Valuation Summit today in Melbourne, marking a watershed moment for forest valuation and setting a new benchmark for how forest assets are assessed, reported and understood.

The launch, marked by a cake cutting by Dr Michelle Freeman (President of Forestry Australia) and James Treadwell (President of the New Zealand Institute of Forestry), is the culmination of nearly a decade’s work to consolidate separate country-level standards into a single trans-Tasman framework for plantation and native forests.

Convenor of the Forestry Australia Valuation Committee Keith Lamb said: “We are proud to celebrate the launch of the new ANZ Forest Valuation. The new standard reflects the latest thinking and best practice in forest valuation across both countries.”

Dr Michelle Freeman said the launch represented a significant milestone for forestry, both as a profession and as an asset class. “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.”

Meanwhile James Treadwell said the new Standard reflected more than three decades of professional commitment. “Our members have contributed voluntary time and expertise to forest valuation standards for more than three decades,” he said. “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.”

The two-day Summit, which is being held at the Rendezvous Hotel, Melbourne, will more than 160 delegates across the full value chain hear from 23 speakers from Australia, New Zealand and overseas, is examining the future of forest valuation practice and reporting against a backdrop of rapidly evolving expectations around sustainability, carbon, natural capital and climate-related financial disclosure.

Day 1 Highlights

• Opening Session and Official Standard Launch: Professor Rodney Keenan (University of Melbourne) set the scene before the Standard was formally launched by James Treadwell and Dr Michelle Freeman. The launch was accompanied by the release of the Australian Carbon Standard Exposure Draft.
• History and Overview of the Valuation Standard: Bill Liley (NZIF) and Keith Lamb (Araucaria Advisory) traced the evolution of the respective country standards, before Alex Thamm (CBRE) examined trends in valuing land under forests and Jodie Mason (FWPA) outlined the sectoral collaborative work underpinning forest valuations across Australia.
• Good Practice in Forest Valuation: An afternoon session addressed good governance, future rotations, managing uncertainty, treatment of land and audit perspectives — featuring Keith Lamb, Bill Liley, Andrew Morton (Indufor), Jessica Brown (Margules Groome) and Brian McGlynn (Malpine).
• Natural Capital: The day’s final session examined the growing role of natural capital in forest valuation, with presentations from Nick Ping (Manulife Investment Management), Ross Hampton (International Sustainable Forestry Coalition), Dr Eleanor Tew (Forestry England), Ziggy Gelman (IDEEA Group) and Rayne van den Berg (Value Australia), followed by a panel discussion and Q&A.

For Day 2, attention will now turn to carbon standards, climate-related financial disclosures, and the future of forest valuation — with contributions from J.P. Morgan, Deloitte, Munich Re, the Clean Energy Regulator and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, a case study on a Tiwi Island carbon project, and a closing panel discussion on data, technology and best practice.

Forestry Australia CEO Jacquie Martin said the Summit represented a major step forward for the profession. “The release of the Standard and the conversations at this Summit are about equipping the sector — valuers, managers, investors, and reporting entities — with the tools and frameworks they need to navigate a rapidly changing landscape.”

The Standard was developed with the support of Forest & Wood Products Australia. To learn more about the Standard, visit: www.forestry.org.au/forest-valuation-standards/

Image 1: Keith Lamb, Convenor of the Forestry Australia Valuation Committee, cuts the cake to mark the official launch of the Australia and New Zealand Forest Valuation Standard at the 2026 Forest Valuation Summit, joined by Michelle Freeman, President of Forestry Australia and Bill Liley of the New Zealand Institute of Forestry.
Image 2: Key contributors to the Australia and New Zealand Forest Valuation Standard gather to mark its official launch at the 2026 Forest Valuation Summit, Rendezvous Hotel, Melbourne, 30 March 2026.
Image 3: More than 160 delegates attend the opening session of the Summit
Image 4: Dr Michelle Freeman, President of Forestry Australia, addresses delegates at the 2026 Forest Valuation Summit
Image 5: Keith Lamb, Summit Convenor, delivers his opening address at the 2026 Forest Valuation Summit

ENDS
Media contact:
Jason Ross
Forestry Australia
communications@forestry.org.au

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.