Kaingaroa Forest has a long and proud history. 

The following milestones reflect the changes in ownership and stewardship of the forest over time, shaped by partnerships, policy, and progress.

1960s

Kaingaroa State Forest
Kaingaroa Forest (land and trees) was owned and managed by the New Zealand Government through the New Zealand Forest Service. It was known then as Kaingaroa State Forest - a national asset.

1980s

Shifting ownership structure
In the late 1980s, the Government began planning to privatise forestry operations. Under the 1989 Crown Forest Assets Act, cutting rights to the trees were sold to private interests, but the land itself stayed in Crown ownership while Treaty of Waitangi claims were being resolved.

1996

Central North Island Partnership
A partnership made up of Fletcher Forests, Citic (China), and Brierley Investments purchased the forest’s cutting rights from the Crown. This group later went into receivership in 2001, prompting another shift in ownership.

2003

Kaingaroa Timberlands was established
Harvard Management Company, the investment arm of Harvard University, formed the Kaingaroa Timberlands partnership to purchase the cutting rights to the trees out of receivership and continue operations. The land remained in Crown ownership.

2006 - 2008

NZ Super Fund joins
The New Zealand Super Fund (NZSF) became a partner, purchasing a 40% stake from Harvard. This marked a significant investment in long-term, sustainable forestry by a public fund.

2009

Land returned to Iwi
A major milestone in honouring Treaty of Waitangi settlements was celebrated on 1 July 2009. The ownership of the whenua of the Kaingaroa Forest was formally returned to iwi, as part of the Central North Island Forests Land Collective Settlement.

2013

Shared ownership
Ownership of the forest's cutting rights evolved again, with NZ Super Fund holding 40%, Harvard 30%, and the Canadian Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP) acquiring a 30% stake.

2014

Iwi investment in the forest
In a further milestone, Harvard exited and a new iwi-led investment group, Kākano Investment Limited Partnership, was formed by six Central North Island iwi. Kākano acquired a 2.5% share in the forest, while PSP and NZSF increased their stakes to 55.5% and 42.5% respectively.

2025

Today: Honouring the journey
Each chapter in Kaingaroa Forest’s history reflects change, partnership, and progress. From Crown ownership to shared stewardship with iwi and global partners, Kaingaroa Tipu stands as a symbol of growth, restoration, and long-term value for Aotearoa and future generations.