Introducing the Multispecies Dashboard – a new interactive tool for forest growers

Authors: Jamie Heather, Michael Watt, Mark Kimberley, Danielle Gatland
Publication: New Zealand Journal of Forestry, Volume N.Z.J.For. 2025, Issue N.Z.J.For. 70(3) 2025, pp Pages19 - 25, Nov 2025
Publisher: New Zealand Institute of Forestry

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Abstract: Scion Group (Bioeconomy Science Institute) has developed growth and yield models for 11 exotic tree species commonly grown in Aotearoa New Zealand, including radiata pine, coast redwood, Douglas-fir, five eucalypt species, blackwood and two cypress species. These models underpin national productivity surfaces and have informed recent revisions to carbon accounting frameworks including proposed updates to the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) default tables. This paper provides an overview of the models and introduces the Multispecies Dashboard – a new web-based decision-support tool that allows users to explore and compare forest growth, carbon sequestration and long-term financial outcomes across species, sites and management regimes. We describe the development of the Dashboard, key assumptions built into its design, and how these influence model outputs. A case study illustrates how common investment metrics such as internal rate of return (IRR) and net present value (NPV) can yield different conclusions, depending on the discount rate and time horizon considered, with important implications for forestry sustainability and intergenerational planning. We conclude with a roadmap for extending the Dashboard’s capabilities.

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