Second investor after CHH forestry assets

A second global forest investor has disclosed its interest in buying Carter Holt Harvey's forestry assets from New Zealand billionaire Graeme Hart.

Global Forest Partners is seeking permission from the Commerce Commission to buy the shares or assets of Carter Holt subsidiaries that own forests for a fund it advises called CRBF.

Hart's Rank Group bought Carter Holt for $3.4 billion and forests with a book value of $1.5 billion are now on the market. About 260,000ha is for sale.

The application comes after the Hancock Natural Resource Group, another US-based global forestry manager, applied to the commission.