Craigmore Sustainables acts on behalf of Kauri Forestry in New Zealand, managing and governing its assets and purchases.<\/p>\n
Craigmore Sustainables did not share further details about the investor.<\/p>\n
However, Craigmore Sustainables chief executive Che Charteris said a lot of investors they worked for were \u201cpassive\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe decisions that are made are ours [Craigmore].\u201d<\/p>\n
He said \u201cthat\u2019s the right way of doing it\u201d as you want decision makers to be \u201cliving in the places where they are making those decisions\u201d.<\/p>\n
The four farms in Central Hawke’s Bay bought by Kauri Forestry in the last 18 months for forestry conversion. Photo \/ Google Maps<\/p>\n
Kauri Forestry now owns thousands of hectares of farmland and forests in New Zealand, including in Hawke\u2019s Bay, Wairarapa, Northland and Marlborough, most of which have been bought in recent years.<\/p>\n
It also owns two apple orchards in Clive and Ongaonga.<\/p>\n
The Overseas Investment Office (OIO) approved the latest farm purchase in Omakere, citing benefits such as increased exports, investment, and reduced carbon emissions through tree planting.<\/p>\n
The OIO decision noted the land will be converted to a Pinus radiata commercial forest with planting during 2026 and 2027. <\/p>\n
Once matured, the trees will be harvested and replanted.<\/p>\n
The 360ha to be converted to forestry is classified as land use capability (LUC) 7 and 6. For comparison, the worst LUC land rating is 8.<\/p>\n
The property was previously owned by the Kerr family, who declined to comment on the sale.<\/p>\n
About 150ha of the wider farm, the flatter country at the front, has been sold separately and will remain in farming.<\/p>\n
Charteris said he was supportive of farms being subdivided to keep flatter country in farming, while steeper country could be used for forestry.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s almost all LUC class 7,\u201d Charteris said, of the section they\u2019d bought for forestry conversion.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has a few gullies in it that we will be retiring.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s what we like to term a really smart land use change decision by a land owner, who is going \u2018this is the good farming country and this [part] is not good farming country\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said they would plant natives in the gullies being retired.<\/p>\n