MORT SHEPHERD
Director

Having grown up on a farm forestry block, studied forestry at University and with more than 20 years industry experience in New Zealand, Canada and Southeast Asia, you’d be forgiven for asking if Mort has pine needles running through his veins!

A talented forester, Mort combines a wide-ranging forestry background with sound technical knowledge to get best results for his clients. In recent years, Mort has been responsible for rolling out FMA data collection programmes for corporate clients, as well as handling pre-harvest appraisals, domestic and export log sales and harvest management for various southern forest owners.

A registered forestry consultant with the New Zealand Institute of Forestry, Mort holds a Bachelor of Engineering Degree from the University of Canterbury. Mort is also involved with New Zealand Fire and Emergency and holds a senior Incident Management role for Rural Fire in the lower south island.

Ryan Adams
Forest Manager

Ryan was introduced to forestry while completing his Bachelor of Surveying at Otago University which he finished in 2013. Since then he has worked as a Cadastral Surveyor in New Zealand and was site surveyor for the International Convention Centre in Darling Harbour, Sydney. In 2016, he moved back to Dunedin with his young family where he enjoys the active lifestyle that the forestry industry provides.

Ryan is involved in many aspects of the business including the collecting forest data, mapping, carbon & silviculture management.

Lynne Johnston
Financial Administrator

Lynne has spent the last 20 years in the dairy industry sharemilking in various parts of Southland before becoming a large shareholder in a 205ha dairy farm in Waihola with 120ha run off block at Berwick which includes forestry on it. She has decided to move away from milking cows and hang her gumboots to join the office team. She brings with her an extensive range of skills specialising in financial and administrative areas. When Lynne is not in the office you can find her enjoying time with her children exploring the outdoors, skiing in the winter, biking and paddle boarding in the summer.

Lynne joined the Venture Forestry team in June 2022 as Financial Administrator.

Mark Byrnes
Forestry Technician

Mark left school and spent time working as a painter and decorator. With a downturn in the building industry, Mark turned his hand to pest control where he managed all aspects of operations throughout Otago.

For 16 years from the early 2000’s Mark then worked in regulatory and compliance area of ORC operating throughout Otago. This has given him a practical working knowledge of the RMA 1991, NESPF and regional plans in Otago.

Mark joined the team at Venture Forestry July 2022 as Forestry Technician carrying out Inventory Plotting and more recently looking after the Health and Safety and Environmental aspects of the operations.