Tūtaki ai ki te Kapa
Meet the team
Rata Forest Management
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Managing Director / Forest Manager
Qualifications: Bachelor of Forestry Science (Hons) - University of Canterbury. Post Graduate Diploma of Business Management (with Distinction) - Waikato University.
Iwi Affiliations: Ngai Tamanuhiri, Rongowhakaata, Ngati Kahungunu.
Experience: I started work in forestry in 1991 as a labourer in the pruning gangs in Wharerata Forest. I commenced my Bachelor of Forestry Science at Canterbury University in 1994 and graduated in 1998. I worked in Corporate Forestry for 20-years, in a variety of roles and locations including Senior Forester (Gisborne), Forest Manager (Ruatoria and Coromandel), and Engineering Manager (Gisborne).
I served as trustee and chair on the Ngai Tamanuhiri Iwi PSGE board: Tāmanuhiri Tūtū Poroporo Iwi Trust. I am currently the director and chair of Wharerata Forest Ltd and trustee and chair of Whareongaonga 5 Blocks Trust.Why you joined Rata: I believe sustainable forestry is values-based. Rata was formed to provide that option. I know we can make a difference.
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Director / Admin Manager
Qualifications: L4 Certificate in IT Computer Systems.
Iwi Affiliations: Waikato ki Ngati Maniapoto.
Why you joined Rata: I want a healthy, productive and safe future for my children. I believe the Rata model for sustainable forest management can make a significant difference and achieve this.
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Road Engineer / Harvest Planner
Qualifications: NZ Cert in Forestry, Masters in Forest Science.
Experience: Over 40-years’ experience across all aspects of commercial forestry operations management specializing in road engineering and cable harvest planning.
Why you joined Rata: Rata provides the opportunity to work across a wide and diverse range of projects. I like the sense of fulfillment that the projects bring.
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Health and Safety Manager
Qualifications: National Cert in Occupational H&S.
Iwi Affiliations: Te Aupouri (married into Ngati Porou).
Experience: I started in the industry in 1973 as a junior labourer in Te Araroa and at the end of NZ Forest Service, Timberlands employed me as the forest manager over all the forest from Te Araroa to Tokomaru Bay. I then retained my position under Forest and Land Management and continued on when ITT Rayonier took over the forests. After a restructure my role changed to Forest Resources & Operations Manager under Rayonier. Then under Huaguang, I took on the role of Export and Domestic Log Production Co-ordinator and finally, when Ernslaw One purchased the forest cutting rights I became the Health & Safety Manager until 2021 when I resigned.
Why you joined Rata: I want to help Rata ensure that we all return home at the end of each day.
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Forest Operations and Logistics Manager
Qualifications: Diploma in Forest management. National Certificates in Forest Establishment, Silviculture, Health & Safety, Logging.
Iwi Affiliations: Te Aitanga a Mahaki, Ngati Porou.
Experience: I started in the Forest industry in 1980, working in Mangatu Forest under State Forest at the time. I have continued to work in a professional capacity since 1980 in different forestry regions and in different roles. My most recent role prior to commencing at Rata was Log Distribution Manager, managing the movement of logs to domestic and export markets.
Why you joined Rata: The reason why I joined Rata Forest Management was the Whanau, Manaaki and Tikanga principles and beliefs that hold for Rata Forest.
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Postion: Technical Environmental Forester
Qualifications: Bachelor of Science (Forestry) from the Australian National University
Experience: I was born, raised, and educated in Australia. I have worked in a variety of forestry and non-forestry related roles in both Australia and NZ. Most notably I worked for Hikurangi Forest Farms Ltd / Aratu Forests Limited for 15-years as a Forest Planner, Planning Manager and Planning and Environmental Manager.
Why you joined Rata: The values of the business align with my own values. The integrity and professionalism of the owners is important to me.
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Administrator
Qualifications: L4 Office Systems.
Iwi Affiliations: Te Aitanga a Mahaki.
Experience: I started in the forest industry as an office assistant in the NZ Forest Service in 1984 in Wharerata Forest. I have worked continuously in the industry as an administrator since then., most recently for Ernslaw One Ltd as Office Manager (16-years).
Why you joined Rata: The business values, the importance of culture and relationships, and the professionalism of the team.
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GIS Analyst
Qualifications: Master of Social Science in Geography and Computing (Uni of Waikato)
Experience: I started with GIS in 1993 for the University for Waikato after which I moved into horticulture. I then shifted to Australia and worked in Civil infrastructure providing mapping support in the mining sector. I spent 4-years in Cambodia and South-East Asis volunteering and travelling. Most recently I worked for Ernslaw One Ltd as a GIS analyst.
Why you joined Rata: The business values and ethos of Rata. I thought it would be a good chance to develop the GIS systems and put my years of experience into some constructive endeavour for a team I consider my friends.
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GIS Spatial Contrator
Qualifications: BA in Geography, 102 UAV pilot.
Experience: Cartograher for the NZRN, 20+ years GIS specialist in the forest industry, Contractor, and GIS administrator for 4Sight/SLR environmental consultancy.
Why you joined Rata: Rata’s reputation and environmental guardianship ethos of maintaining the land and biodiversity for present and future generations.
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Cadet training toward a Diploma in Forest Management (Ngahere Whakatipuranga)
Role. Forestry Technician.
Experience: I began my career in silviculture forestry back in 1996, engaging in tasks such as pruning, chainsaw work, thinning, planting, and spot releasing. Since joining the Rata team, my responsibilities have expanded to supervisory roles within burn operations, strategic planning for Large Woody Debris (LWD) extraction, and Quality Control (QC) plotting initiatives.
Iwi Affiliations. Ngati Konohi, Ngati Porou.
Why Rata: Rata’s commitment to shared principles resonates with my own, making it an ideal work environment.
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Role. Engineer.
Qualifications: Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) -Civil, University of Waikato (2023).
Iwi/Hapu: Ngai Tamanuhiri, Rongowhakaata, Tainui.
Experience: As a recent civil engineering graduate, most of my work experience to date has been holiday work projects across a range of industries including Civil Engineering, Forestry engineering, ETS, and Roading. I was brought up in a forestry family. We lived on-forest for much of my life in interesting places including Ruatoria, Coromandel and Gisborne. My upbringing experiences shaped my passion to work on the land and to provide sustainable and meaningful engineering solutions. My work experiences include road maintenance, ETS administration, ArcGIS mapping, harvest planning and forest road survey.
Why You Joined Rata: I believe in Rata's values and see it evidenced in their work and how they treat their team and clients.
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Cadet training towards a certificate in ArcGIS
Role. Administrator.
Iwi Affiliations. Ngai Tamanuhiri, Rongowhakaata, Waikato ki Ngati Maniapoto.
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Cadet training toward a Diploma in Forest Management (Ngahere Whakatipuranga)
Role. Forestry Technician.
Experience. I entered the forestry field in early 2023. My responsibilities include drone operations, volume calculations, cost analysis, and project research. Additionally, I've contributed to plot management, tree planting, planting supervision, and burn control.
Iwi Affiliations. Ngati Kahungunu.
Why you joined Rata: A quest for expanded knowledge in the field and to contribute to whanau.
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Role. Taiao Supervisor
Qualifications: Bachelor of Environmental Management, L3 Certificate in Business Administration.
Iwi/Hapu: Ngāti Ruapani, Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Porou.
Experience: I am a new addition to the industry and have come in through hapu/iwi engagement around the large woody debris removal.
Why You Joined Rata: To learn and gain experience in the forestry industry under the wing of a great team with a focus on holistic forest management.
