Forest & Bird
1. Business / Trading Name: Royal Forest & Bird Protection Society of New Zealand Incorporated (trading as “Forest & Bird”).
2. Company Number: Data Not Found (Incorporated Society – not registered as a company).
3. NZBN: 9429042800798.
4. Entity Type: Incorporated Society (registered charity).
5. Business Classification: Environmental advocacy and conservation services (non-profit).
6. Industry Category: Environmental Services / Conservation NGO.
7. Year Founded: 1923 (founded 28 March 1923 as the New Zealand Native Bird Protection Society).
8. Addresses: Postal – PO Box 631, Wellington 6140, New Zealand; Street – 205 Victoria Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6011, New Zealand. (Note: LinkedIn lists an office address at Level 1, 90 Ghuznee Street, Wellington, but official records use 205 Victoria St.)
9. Website URL:
http://www.forestandbird.org.nz
.
10. LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/company/forest-&-bird.
11. Company Hub NZ URL: Data Not Found (no listing on Company Hub for this incorporated society).
12. NZ Companies Office URL: https://app.businessregisters.govt.nz/sber-businesses/viewInstance/view.html?id=229a78e05307b6d8bf1b29667f00cb17a2147327da4dbc07&_timestamp=1093396316157833 (Incorporated societies register)
13. Social Media URLs: Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ForestAndBird;Twitter (X) – https://twitter.com/Forest_and_Bird; Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/forestandbird; YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@forestandbird
14. Ultimate Holding Company: None (independent incorporated society, not owned by any parent entity).
15. Key Shareholders: None (membership-based non-profit with ~40,000 members, no shareholders).
16. Leadership: President – Kate Graeme; Chief Executive – Nicola Toki (appointed 2022, former Department of Conservation director); National Board Chair – (President serves as chair; Hanger has held this role); National Treasurer – Nigel W. Thomson. Past Chief Executives include Kevin Hague (2016–2022, former Green Party MP).
17. Staff: Approximately 50–200 staff (100+ employees) across New Zealand, including conservation managers, field officers, lawyers, and support staff. Staff are based in a national office (Wellington) and regional offices in Auckland, Christchurch, Nelson, and Dunedin.
18. Staff that have held previous government roles: Multiple. Chief Executive Nicola Toki is a former Operations Director at the Department of Conservation. Board member Eugenie Sage is a former MP and Conservation Minister (2017–2020). Former CEO Kevin Hague was a Green Party MP (2008–2016). Other staff have worked in government agencies or advisory bodies (e.g. policy advisors, DoC rangers) before joining Forest & Bird.
19. Past Employees: Notable past leaders include Val Sanderson (founder, served as President 1933–1945); Sir Thomas Mackenzie (first President); Former CEO and MP Kevin Hague; Former Group Manager of Campaigns Kevin Hackwell (a prominent advocate for decades). Many past staff have moved into public service or other NGOs.
20. Clients: Not Applicable. (Forest & Bird is a public-interest advocacy organisation and charity; it does not have commercial “clients.” Its beneficiaries are the New Zealand public and environment, and its supporters are members and donors.)
21. Industries/Sectors Represented: The organisation represents environmental and conservation interests. It speaks for nature and wildlife conservation, often in opposition to sectors like mining, forestry, irrigation, and resource extraction when environmental impacts are at stake. It does not represent an industry trade group, but rather the interests of biodiversity, climate, and habitat protection.
22. Publicly Disclosed Engagements: Forest & Bird regularly publishes its policy submissions and advocacy positions. For example, it provided written and oral evidence to Parliament’s Environment Committee opposing the 2023 Treaty Principles Bill and the Fast-track Consenting legislation. It issues public “Briefings to Incoming Ministers” outlining its policy agenda (e.g. a comprehensive briefing to the Ardern Government in 2021). The society also publicises major court actions it undertakes (such as High Court appeals on environmental consents) and its appearances at select committees or environmental forums. However, it does not disclose all informal lobbying meetings (e.g. discussions with ministers or officials are typically revealed only through OIA requests or ministerial diary releases, not by the organisation itself).
23. Affiliations (Domestic and International): Internationally, Forest & Bird is the New Zealand partner of BirdLife International and has been a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) since 1949.Domestically, it is part of collaborative coalitions such as the Environmental Conservation Organisations of NZ (ECO) network and works alongside groups like Greenpeace, WWF-NZ, and Fish & Game on joint campaigns. It has memoranda of understanding with bodies like Birds New Zealand (the Ornithological Society) on shared goals. It also partners with the Department of Conservation as a “supporting partner” in conservation initiatives.
24. Sponsorships / Collaborations: Forest & Bird has a number of corporate sponsors and project partners. These include environmentally oriented businesses and foundations. For example, long-term sponsors like HealthPak (eco-packaging) have donated over $100k via product sales; Heritage Expeditions collaborates on fundraising nature cruises; JB Hi-Fi supports through matched payroll giving (~$200k raised); Metalbird art donates 30% of sales of bird-themed artworks; Pathfinder Asset Management (ethical KiwiSaver fund) donates 20% of its fees to Forest & Bird. The society also runs joint initiatives, such as the Bird of the Year competition (sponsored by partners like Meridian Energy in some years) and co-sponsored community events. It works with government in conservation projects (e.g. co-managing reserves). Department of Conservation (DOC) is a notable collaborator – Forest & Bird has had a formal partnership with DOC for decades.
25. Events (held or organised by this organisation): Forest & Bird’s signature public event is the annual “Bird of the Year” contest, a nationwide campaign and online election raising awareness of native species. The contest, running since 2005, garners international attention and public engagement (with occasional controversies over cheating or non-bird candidates, e.g. a bat winning in 2021. The organisation also hosts an Annual General Meeting and Conference for members, where conservation talks and policy workshops occur. It organises community planting days, restoration projects, and local branch events (talks, field trips) around the country. In the past, it ran popular “Family Camps” in national parks for education (1950s–1980s). Forest & Bird frequently holds or participates in political events like parliamentary petition deliveries, protest rallies for environmental causes (e.g. anti-mining marches), and public lectures or webinars on environmental policy.
26. Political Donations: The society itself does not donate to political parties or candidates (as a registered charity, it is restricted from direct partisan funding). No records of Forest & Bird making political donations appear in the Electoral Commission’s party donations returns or public databases (consistent with its non-profit status). Instead of donations, Forest & Bird exerts political influence via issue advocacy and campaigning (see Part Two). It does, however, register as a third-party promoter during elections to lawfully spend on advocacy ads (e.g. it registered in 2020 and 2023 for election campaigning). Individual members or trustees may donate personally in politics, but not on behalf of the organisation.
27. Controversies: Despite its positive public image, Forest & Bird has faced several controversies:
• Bird of the Year anomalies: The popular Bird of the Year contest has seen scandals such as fraudulent votes (e.g. in 2020, thousands of fake votes from overseas were detected) and debate over a bat being allowed to win in 2021, which provoked media buzz and “consternation” among some followers.
• Allegations of partisanship: Critics from industry and right-leaning politics sometimes accuse Forest & Bird of aligning too closely with the Green Party or leftist agenda, given its former executives in Green politics and its sharp opposition to National-led government policies (for example, it was credited with derailing a National government mining plan in 2010 by leaking sensitive information). These criticisms suggest the society can be politically combative.
• Litigation backlash: Forest & Bird’s frequent court challenges to development projects have drawn ire from businesses and some local authorities. In one instance, a pro-industry think tank (NZ Initiative) criticised Forest & Bird for opposing a West Coast coal mine, implying it was obstructing economic progress. Forest & Bird publicly rebutted this as a “business lobby group…want[ing] more environmental damage” and took pride that its court case forced stronger environmental conditions on the mine. Such legal activism sometimes labels the organisation as “anti-development” in the eyes of opponents, though Forest & Bird insists it is “pro-environment” not anti-economic.
• Internal governance issues: There have been occasional internal disputes (largely kept private) typical of volunteer organisations, such as branch-level disagreements or resignations over strategy. No major public scandals of corruption or misconduct are recorded for the society.
• Alleged “integrity washing”: Some commentators question whether Forest & Bird’s public image of integrity and transparency is always matched by its own practices, citing its behind-closed-doors influence on policy that isn’t formally disclosed to the public.
28. Other Information of Note: Forest & Bird enjoys a Royal Charter status (the “Royal” prefix granted in 1930s), and it is one of the oldest conservation NGOs in New Zealand. It operates a nationwide network of 48 regional branches run by volunteers, plus a junior naturalists club (Kiwi Conservation Club with ~6,000 children members). The society also owns or manages several private nature reserves and lodges around the country for conservation purposes. It publishes the Forest & Bird magazine (quarterly since 1923) which is a highly regarded conservation journal in NZ. Membership has been reported as around 40,000 (paid members) in recent years; Forest & Bird often also cites a larger support base of “70,000 members and supporters” by counting donors and subscribers. The Governor-General of NZ traditionally serves as the patron of the society (ceremonial role).
29. Recipient of Wage Subsidy Scheme: Yes – Forest & Bird did receive COVID-19 wage subsidies in 2020. (While specific figures are not readily published, the society’s financial statements and government disclosures indicate it accessed wage subsidies during the pandemic to retain staff. For example, Forest & Bird’s 2020 annual income included government assistance related to COVID-19.) However, it did not feature among large corporate recipients in media coverage, suggesting any subsidy was modest. No controversies arose from its use of the Wage Subsidy, and it was eligible as a charity facing revenue uncertainty during lockdowns.
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