New Zealand Forest Owners Association

The New Zealand Forest Owners Association (FOA) represents the owners of New Zealand's commercial plantation forests. It was set up in 1926 and is now one of the country's most influential primary sector organisations.

Its members own or manage more than 80 per cent of the country's 1.79 million hectares of plantation forests.

With annual export earnings of $3.5 billion in 2007/08, plantation forestry is New Zealand's third largest export earner. It is a major regional employer, with 6470 individuals employed in forestry and logging in 2007, and 20,389 employed in forestry and first stage processing.

Investment by members in research and technology, supported by the NZ Government, means plantation forestry is highly innovative. This is reflected in the commitment of the association and its members to the highest standards of sustainable silviculture, environmental practice and workforce safety.

In recent years this has led to be development of codes of practice and standards which have world-leader status. These codes and standards have been adopted by most industry players.

Emissions Trading Scheme FOA has made sure the forest industry view has been heard on the Emissions Trading Scheme and the potential contribution forestry could be making to NZ’s environmental goals.

FOA Environmental Code of Practice Over a period of three years the Forest Owners Association with input from its members developed the "FOA Environmental Code of Practice".

FOA Drug and Alcohol Policy The FOA Drug and Alcohol policy was launched in October 2008, then taken to a series of regional launches attended by nearly 1500 industry professionals.