Our Team

James went to a school career evening in 1984, and 3 weeks later was pruning trees for the NZ Forest Service.  The smell of pine pitch and native bush did the rest.

Work at Carter Holt Harvey, Rayonier, Interpine and HB Regional Council, followed land science and forestry science degrees.  He now operates RedAxe Forestry Intelligence and supports the HB Forestry Group and others with Forest related project management.

James thinks he made an ideal career choice and enjoys supporting others to choose a life in the forest and making the forest industry a better thing.

Matt Doyle, a graduate in Forestry Science (2011), brings over a decade of experience to his leadership role as Chair of the Hawke’s Bay Forestry Group.

With a broad range of expertise developed through forestry roles in Tairawhiti, Wellington, and Ireland, Matt has a deep understanding of forestry management, sustainability, and industry best practices. Since relocating to Hawke’s Bay in 2017, he has worked at FMNZ becoming General Manager of Road Engineering.

As Chair of the Hawke’s Bay Forestry Group, Matt is committed to fostering collaboration, driving innovation, and advancing the region’s forestry industry through sustainable practices and strategic leadership.

Leigh Smith has over 20 years working in the forest industry commencing with managing native forestry in Victoria Australia. He moved to NZ in 2014 and has worked in the Hawkes Bay industry over the last decade with Rayonier Matariki Forests as a Production Manager and recently as the Regional Manager for their Hawke’s Bay estate.

Leigh has a Bachelor of Forest Science from the University of Melbourne, and has worked in various roles throughout his career from fire management, silviculture, planning and production operations. He is a passionate about the industry and sees the Hawkes Bay forestry Group as an advocate for the excellent work being conducted in forests across the region.