Why Rātā
A gap in the market for sustainable forestry.
Founded in 2018 by Mātene and Sue-Ann Blandford, Rātā Forest Management was inspired by a vision for responsible forestry that respects the whenua, supports Māori aspirations and considers the wider consequences of how forests are managed.
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Our origins
A vision for a different kind of forestry
In 1993, while studying Forestry Science at the University of Canterbury, Mātene Blandford recorded a personal ambition: to become the Māori forester of the East Coast.
Throughout his career, Mātene developed extensive technical and management experience within New Zealand's forestry industry. Yet he also recognised opportunities for improvement. While Māori represented a significant proportion of the forestry workforce, they remained underrepresented in professional and leadership positions, limiting their ability to influence decisions and participate in the industry's wider economic benefits.
Mātene also saw the need for forest management that gave greater consideration to the long-term consequences of forestry operations. Decisions about land use and forest management needed to account for more than commercial returns, recognising their effects on waterways, biodiversity, cultural values and surrounding communities.
The challenge was to establish a business that could bring these priorities together, combining professional forestry expertise with a deeper responsibility to the whenua and the people connected to it.
Our philosophy
A founding philosophy inspired by Rātā me te Rākau
On 1 August 2018, Mātene and Sue-Ann Blandford established Rātā Forest Management Ltd, drawing inspiration from the Māori pūrākau Rātā me te Rākau.
The story tells of Rātā, who fells a tree to build a waka for his people, only to discover that the forest's guardians have restored it. Through this experience, Rātā learns that even actions undertaken with good intentions must recognise the appropriate tikanga, responsibilities and relationships associated with taking from the natural world.
For Mātene, the story carried a lesson about following appropriate processes, showing gratitude and considering the consequences of one's actions. These teachings helped shape Rātā's founding philosophy of transformative forest management.
This vision was also informed by Mātene's experience in Māori forest governance and the guidance of his mentor, John Ruru, who encouraged him to develop his professional expertise and use it to benefit Māori.
Rātā was established to bring these principles into professional forestry practice, combining technical knowledge, environmental responsibility and respect for the aspirations of landowners and communities.
Our purpose
Building a business with purpose
Rātā's establishment marked the realisation of a vision Mātene had carried for more than two decades: to use his forestry expertise to contribute to the future of Māori landowners and the wider Te Tairāwhiti region.
Within its first year, Rātā was delivering professional forestry services across harvest planning, forest engineering, resource consent assessments and environmental compliance, undertaking work for corporate forestry clients and Gisborne District Council while pursuing its ambition to strengthen services for Māori landowners.
Beyond the establishment of the business itself, the enduring significance of Rātā's founding lies in the principles chosen to guide it.
Inspired by Rātā me te Rākau, the company was built on the understanding that the use of natural resources brings responsibilities extending beyond the immediate operation. Responsible forestry requires consideration of the whenua, the environment, the communities affected and the generations who will inherit the consequences of today's decisions.
This philosophy established the foundation for Rātā's identity and its ambition to deliver forest management that creates value while respecting the wider landscape.
