Scott Gordon

Forestry | Carbon | Advisory

Scott Gordon brings more than 36 years of forest industry experience to Searle Forestry, spanning hands-on forest management, large-scale acquisitions, export operations, and carbon. Most recently North Island Manager for China Forestry Group New Zealand, Scott has built and led forestry operations across nearly every major growing region in the country, from the East Coast and Coromandel to the Central North Island, Manawatū, Gisborne, and the South Island.

Over his career Scott has managed production and carbon estates ranging from single-charge blocks to portfolios in excess of 40,000 hectares, with annual harvests approaching one million tonnes and export volumes of 2.8 million tonnes shipped across six New Zealand ports. He played a central role in building one of the country’s largest log export operations, and led the engineering, build, and port positioning of New Zealand’s first mobile high-speed debarker — a project delivered in partnership with Port Taranaki and regional Taranaki and Whanganui businesses.

His operational track record is matched by deep commercial and advisory expertise. Scott has managed the due diligence behind the purchase of major forest assets, secured off-market acquisitions, and held a US stumpage acquisitions role based out of Port Angeles. Through his own consultancy he advises clients on asset due diligence, land and forest acquisitions, carbon management and ETS registration, standing timber valuation, harvest planning, and forest insurance representation, while managing around 5,800 hectares on behalf of various owners.

Throughout his career Scott has been recognised for securing FSC certification across multiple estates, registering forests under the ETS, establishing native tree crops and biodiversity projects, and maintaining a strong social licence to operate. He has authored company silviculture, harvesting and engineering manuals, led RMA and biodiversity teams, coordinated aerial fire response, and mentored a generation of forestry staff.

For Searle Forestry clients, Scott offers a rare combination of on-the-ground operational knowledge and the commercial judgement that comes from valuing, acquiring, and managing forest assets at scale — across both the New Zealand and international markets.