Industry leaders and investors are set to converge at the Westin New York at Times Square for the FEA-DANA International Forest Investment Conference, scheduled for May 1-2, 2024. This gathering promises to be a pivotal event, focusing on the dynamic interplay between the global macroeconomic climate and timberland investments.
The conference will kick off with a keynote address by Brendan Lowney, principal at FEA, who will delve into the global macroeconomic outlook for 2024-25. This will set the stage for a series of discussions centered around timberland investments, both within the US and internationally.
Highlights include Tracy Buran Evens from Timberlink exploring where institutional timberland investors are focusing their acquisitions, and Peter D'Anieri of Sewall Forestry & Natural Resource Consulting presenting the latest findings on return premiums expected from timberland investments based on the Sewall annual investor survey.
The event will also feature insights into the evolving landscape of natural capital investments with Chung-Hong Fu of Timberland Investment Resources, and the intricacies of timberland investment from the perspective of investors and the emerging T-Real Estate Investment Trust model, as presented by W. Rhett Rogers of Rayonier.
Sessions on the role of forests in investment portfolios, the strategic considerations for global forest investment portfolio construction, and case studies on timberland investing with industrial partners, such as a Brazil case study by Aldo De Cresci, will provide attendees with a comprehensive understanding of the sector's current trends and future directions.
Legal issues, carbon capture opportunities, and the end-use trends of major timberland products will also be discussed, offering a holistic view of the timberland investment landscape.
The conference aims to equip participants with the knowledge and insights needed to navigate the complexities of the forest investment environment, emphasizing sustainability, carbon offsets, and the role of biomass for energy.