Australia - MIS investors more hopeful

The future looks more promising for plantations in Australia’s collapsed management investment scheme (MIS) programs as reputable timber groups take on management and investors consider buying the timberland, or in some cases the land and its trees, The Australian reported on 18 September.

Many plantations were in rural MIS, a widely and recently demolished investment model. All the biggest MIS players have collapsed since April 2009, taking about AU$4.2 billion of investors’ funds with them. However, the mostly eucalyptus trees remain standing on the land.

David Brand, managing director of the Sydney-based New Forests Group, said buyers exist for Australian plantations “well positioned in coastal regions, with proximity to ports.” The attraction is new markets such as China and India, for both hardwoods and woodchips, said Brand.