Early Foundations (1906-1930)

Following a rapid period of growth in Dunedin’s population in the 1860’s because of the Otago Gold Rush, the fledgling city found itself increasingly under pressure. Land clearance and livestock in surrounding water catchment areas had left the critical water supply infrastructure vulnerable to flood damage and water quality was being impacted by sediment and stock effluent. The solution was to remove livestock and plant trees to stabilise the catchments, reduce sediment and provide more consistent flows of fresh clean water. Land was purchased at Ross Creek and City Forests legacy began.

1906: Dunedin City's visionary first plantation forest was established around Ross Creek Reservoir with 15,540 trees including pines, spruce, ash, and birch—laying the foundation for over a century of sustainable forest management. Areas of Sitka Spruce were planted with the idea that the light and strong timber would one day come available for construction of a new technology at the time, aeroplanes.

1908: Demonstrating early innovation, Douglas fir seedlings were imported from the USA, establishing our commitment to species diversification and optimal growing practices.

1910-1924: Strategic land acquisitions at Whare Flat, Flagstaff, Bethunes Gully, Sullivans Dam, and Waipori expanded our sustainable forestry footprint across the Otago region.

1931: Achieved the significant milestone of planting 1,000 acres (404 hectares) with 628,000 trees, demonstrating our commitment to large-scale reforestation for timber production.

Growth & Development (1970-1989)

1970: Clear-felling operations began to meet Japanese export demands, establishing our international market presence while maintaining sustainable harvest practices.

1980: Formation of the DCC Forestry Department marked a new era of professional forest management, transferring operations from Parks & Recreation to a specialised forestry management unit.

Modern Era Excellence (1990-Present)

1990: City Forests Limited was established as a Local Authority Trading Enterprise (LATE) and the land and tree assets were transferred from Dunedin City Council into the new company. In 1992 Dunedin City Holdings Limited (DCHL) was established. City Forests and other Council entities such as DELTA and Aurora were transferred into the DCHL holding company structure. This enabled commercial excellence while maintaining public ownership and community benefit.

2000: Achieved Forest Stewardship Council® certification, becoming one of the first major South Island forest owners to meet these rigorous international sustainability standards.

2001: Reached the milestone of harvesting over 100,000 cubic metres annually (121,600m³), demonstrating increased production from its maturing forest estate and growing its contribution to New Zealand's timber industry whilst and carbon cycle providing local jobs, supporting local mills and increasing exports.

2003-2006: Strategic acquisitions of Silverpeaks Forest (1,968ha) and forests at Nobleburn and Kaitangata (830ha) expanded the sustainable forest management area significantly increasing production.

2006: Celebrated our centennial year, marking 100 years of continuous sustainable forest management and community contribution. . City Forests is the oldest significant forest owner in New Zealand that remains under continuous ownership,

2010-Present: Became active participants in New Zealand's Emissions Trading Scheme, generating nearly $51 million in carbon credit sales while contributing to national climate change mitigation efforts.

Leading New Zealand's sustainable future

Today, City Forests manages over 25,000 hectares of land with approximately 20,000 hectares of FSC® certified production forests, employs 85+ local staff and contractors, maintains 2,400 hectares of native reserves, and continues to pioneer sustainable forestry practices that will benefit our community, economy, and environment for generations to come.