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About FGR

Our Role

Forest Growers Research (FGR) is an industry-owned company which facilitates and manages research and development for the benefit of the New Zealand forest sector.

We do this in two main ways:

  • Research is managed within the Forest Growers Levy Trust (FGLT) research investment portfolio.  This money comes directly from forest growers in the form of a levy on harvested timber.
  • Many forest growing research programmes also receive funding over and above the Forest Levy, including major government and industry funding, for example from :
    • Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE)
    • Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI)
    • Government/industry partnerships via the Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures Fund (SFFF).
    • Forest companies, who also contribute directly to forestry research

Research Structure

The Forest Growers Levy Trust (FGLT) is the largest industry funder of research and development for the New Zealand forest-growing sector. These funds come from the harvested wood material commodity levy which is paid on each tonne of harvested timber.

The New Zealand Forest Owners Association (FOA), is a national body representing commercial forest growers in New Zealand. The FOA provides management support to the Forest Growers Levy Trust (FGLT) in conjunction with the NZ Farm Forestry Association (NZFFA) which represents small forest owners.

Forest Growers Research (FGR) is an industry-owned company which co-ordinates industry input and funding of research programmes for the forest growing sector. FGR manages the share of levy funds allocated to forestry research programmes, and is an experienced research management company with a good track record for delivering industry-good research outcomes.

These programmes are approved by the FGLT on the recommendation of the joint FOA/NZFFA Forest Research Committee (FRC), based on the priorities set out in the industry Science-and-Innovation Plan.

The programmes come .under the umbrella of the Forest Growers Research management structure, ensuring good coordination across the full spectrum of research programmes. Once operational, each research programme is guided by a Technical Steering Team made up of industry representatives and other relevant experts.

Board Members

Forest Growers Research Ltd
Dean Witehira
Dean has worked in and around Kaingaroa Forest for over 30 years.
In his role as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Timberland’s he is responsible for leading Timberland’s Genetics, Tree Crop, Harvesting and Marketing Operations. Dean graduated from the University of Canterbury with a BForSc (Hons), holds a New Zealand Certificate in Forestry (NZCF) and in 2019 completed the General Management Program at Harvard Business School. Ko whakapapa ia no Ngai Tawake, Nga Puhi.
Peter Berg
Peter Berg ONZM is Chair of the Tane’s Tree Trust
Peter was the Chair of the Forest Growers Research (FGR) board up to 31st December 2024. He was past President of the NZ Forest Owners Association for 12 years, and former member of the SCION (NZ Forest Research Institute) and Auckland Conservation Boards. Peter is presently the Chair of the NZ Branch of the Commonwealth Forestry Association and a member of the executive committee of NZ Farm Forestry Assn. Peter is involved in many aspects of NZ forestry and has jointly authored two books on New Zealand’s forest history.
Ross Larcombe
Ross Larcombe is the CEO of PF Olsen Group Holdings Limited and is a Director of PF Olsen Australia.
Ross joined PF Olsen in 1995 after graduating from the University of Canterbury with a Bachelor of Forestry Science degree. He began this career with PF Olsen in Blenheim as a forestry supervisor and assistant in our seed orchard. He then moved to Rotorua where he undertook a consulting role and has over the years gained valuable experience and knowledge from PF Olsen’s company founders and other talented staff. In his prior role Ross managed the Central North Island forestry team and has worked with staff throughout the business. Ross has been a company director since 2011.
Jason Syme
Jason Syme is the Chair of the Forest Research Growers (FGR) Board
Jason was appointed as Chair of the FGR board in from 1 January 2025. Jason joined Rayonier Matariki Forests in 1996 and is the Director Forest Operations , and has worked across many different facts of the business. Prior to taking up the Forest Operations role, he was Director, Forest Investment and responsible for the management of Business Development, Forest Information, Research and Development, Lands and Legal and Environmental functions, and for delivering strategic analytical support across all aspects of the forest life cycle. In his role as Director of Forest Operations, Jason leads RMF operations across the estate with a strong emphasis on people, safety, financial, governance and environmental leadership. Outside of work Jason enjoys sailing, paddleboarding and skiing.

Our People

Dr Paul Adams, Research & Development Director & CEO
Paul is the Research and Development Director for the national programme of work funded by the Forest Growers Levy and CEO for Forest Growers Research Ltd.
Paul’s role is to provide trans sector leadership on all aspects of forest growing research in New Zealand. His expertise in forestry science, research and operational management comes from more than 35 years working in the softwood and hardwood industry in both Australia and New Zealand. Prior to joining FGR, he was the Forest Estate Manager at Rayonier Matariki Forests. Paul is passionate about delivering practical results that lead to improved productivity, value and resilience of New Zealand’s production forests.
Amanda Brake
Amanda Brake is the Office Manager based at Forest Growers Research office in Rotorua and joined the company in 2022. She works closely will the Research & Development Manager along with other research programme managers.
With over 25 years of experience in administrative roles across a diverse range of sectors, Amanda enjoys the challenges and rewards that come with the daily operations of an office. As the Office Manager Amanda is responsible for a broad range of responsibilities and the “Go to” person for overall coordination in the team that allows FGR to operate efficiently. From planning numerous meetings and events to financial and administrative management she is adept at wearing many hats. Forestry is a new sector for Amanda and she is enjoying the diversity of the role and the developments in forestry sector.
Keith Raymond
Keith Raymond is the Programme Manager of the Automation and Robotics PGP Research Partnership. Keith joined Future Forests Research Ltd in 2008 as Harvesting Theme Leader.
His role over the last nine years has involved managing the harvesting research programme and working with industry members. He also manages the interface between the research providers and the forest industry end-users through research programme workshops, Technical Steering Team meetings and research reviews and reporting.
Marco Lausberg
Marco Lausberg is the Programme Manager of the Specialty Wood Products Partnership.
His role includes supporting the science leaders to develop annual research work programmes and budgets and securing the approval of these through both the Technical Steering Team (TST) and the Programme Steering Group (PSG). Also reviewing progress against project milestones and communicating research results to investors and stakeholders on a regular basis.
Claire Stewart
Claire Stewart is the Programme Manager for the Precision Silviculture Partnership Programme.
Claire joined FGR in June 2023 from Scion where she held a Portfolio Leader position with a focus on digitisation, automation and data in forestry and wood processing. In this role she was closely associated with the PSP programme and led the Nursery Workstream project. Claire brings significant expertise in digitisation and automation and is excited with the opportunity to work in true partnership with the forestry industry, collaborating to co-design the most effective pathways to drive new innovation.
Alison Slade
Alison Slade joined FGR in 2024 in the newly created role of Innovation Manager.
This role encompasses a wide range of tasks such as building networks, translating knowledge, and facilitating commercialisation. Alison brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the role, having spent 36 years supporting the sector in various capacities including the forest research space. Alison is also the Programme Manager for the Tissue Culture for 21st Century Forests Programme. In this role she works with the science and technical and industry advisory teams to maximise the opportunity for this programme to create even greater value for the New Zealand commercial forestry industry via somatic embryogenesis.

Alison, Amanda, Claire, Keith and Marco are all based at the Forest Owners Association – Forest Growers Research office in Rotorua.

Forest Research Committee (FRC)

The Forest Research Committee (FRC) is responsible for developing and delivering the forest growers’ Science and Innovation Strategy. The FRC makes funding recommendations based on the research priorities outlined in the strategy and operates on behalf of all forest growers. The committee includes stakeholders from related parts of the sector, independent scientific expertise, as well as government.

 

The FRC reviews research proposals from organisations that align with the Science and Innovation Strategy’s priorities. It seeks input from other FOA Committees that support research in areas like Biosecurity, Environment, and Fire. The committee also engages with government ministries, agencies, and the science and education community to maximize the collective effort and investment in science and innovation.

Following the annual call for research proposals for Forest Growers Levy funding, the FRC develops and recommends the Research & Development (R&D) work programme to the Forest Growers Levy Trust (FGLT) for final approval.

Once projects are funded, they are managed by Forest Growers Research (FGR), which coordinates and delivers impact through levy-funded research.

Click here for more information on the FRC including meeting dates

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