Volunteers and Port Blakely staff joined the Lewis Conservation District to plant 6,000 trees along Mill Creek near Adna, part of a multi-year effort to restore salmon habitat. The project will establish more than 20,000 native trees and shrubs to replace invasive grass, improve stream conditions, and support wildlife that helps create healthy salmon ecosystems.
Andrew Cocking has been named Managing Director of Port Blakely Ltd., New Zealand Forestry, effective July 1, 2026, succeeding Phil Taylor upon his retirement after 20 years of leadership. A 28-year company veteran, Andrew brings deep operational expertise and strong industry relationships to guide the next chapter of the New Zealand business.
Nick Henderson, Production/Protection Forester for Port Blakely’s South Island operations, joined Fire and Emergency New Zealand’s Bravo contingent in Victoria, Australia, to support post-containment bushfire recovery during an intense 2026 fire season. Selected for his advanced forestry and tree-felling expertise, he helped remove hazardous trees, strengthen containment lines, and restore access to fire-affected areas.
Port Blakely CEO Mike Warjone was featured in the January/February issue of the Puget Sound Business Journal, where he shared his perspective on forestry, leadership, and the future of working forests. That early connection to the woods shaped his career and continues to influence how he leads today.
Port Blakely is proud to celebrate South Island Regional Manager Barry Wells, who was named a runner-up in the 2025 Most Valuable Coach (MVC) Awards presented by Competenz, New Zealand’s industry training organization. The MVC Awards recognize outstanding workplace coaches and mentors across the country who are making a meaningful impact in workforce training and skills development.
Family Business Magazine highlights Port Blakely’s CEO transition and the strong governance and stewardship values guiding the company into its sixth generation.
On September 24, 2025, Port Blakely had the honor of seeing two scholarships awarded at Grays Harbor College’s annual Scholarship Social. The Chris Lunde Forest Resource Management Scholarship and the Port Blakely / Cascade Family Motorcycle Club Scholarship reflect our commitment to education, sustainability, and the next generation of forestry leaders.
Port Blakely announced its plan to appoint Mike Warjone as Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2026. He will succeed René Ancinas, who will remain Board Chair. As a family-owned company, this transition continues Port Blakely’s legacy of family leadership, stewardship, and sustainability.
Christchurch, New Zealand — Port Blakely’s restoration efforts at the Robinson Kakahu Wetland were featured in a recent Environment Canterbury article (June 26, 2025), which features a $5,000 contribution from the Ōrāri Temuka Ōpihi Pareora (OTOP) Water Zone Committee. This funding will enhance the ongoing restoration of the 16-hectare inland wetland in the Geraldine region, a project that Port Blakely has been leading since 2020.
At Port Blakely, we’re constantly seeking new ways to make forestry safer, smarter, and more sustainable. That’s why we were excited to pilot an innovative technology in our Geraldine forests in New Zealand: heavy-lifting drones that can deliver seedling loads directly to planting crews working in steep, rugged terrain. Recently featured in the Timaru Herald, this pioneering work is the result of a collaboration between Port Blakely and ProVision Ltd., a South Canterbury-based company led by drone innovator Khan Adam.
This past spring, Port Blakely welcomed fifth-grade classes from Molalla Elementary School to our forest near Molalla as part of our Environmental Education Program. This experience was highlighted in the Molalla River School District Newsletter (June 2025). For the past five years, Port Blakely has hosted students from the Molalla River School District. These forest field trips provide hands-on lessons in forest ecology, the importance of trees, and the diverse wildlife that thrives in our working forests.
René Ancinas, Chairman and CEO of Port Blakely, was featured in the April 2025 edition of Family Business Magazine. The article offers a thoughtful look into René’s leadership journey, insights on sustaining a multigenerational family business, and the values that continue to guide Port Blakely’s mission.
Recent coverage about the Department of Natural Resources’ “legacy forests” suggests that DNR is the only landowner managing extended rotation forests. As a fourth-generation owner of Port Blakely — a family-owned company that has managed long-rotation forests for generations — I am concerned by this assumption.
Christchurch, New Zealand -- Port Blakely New Zealand Essential Oils (PBNZEO), a global leader in sustainable essential oil production, is among the first essential oil producers worldwide to attain the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) certification. This milestone validates the company’s commitment to environmental stewardship and recognizes its sustainable practices for customers who maintain chain-of-custody.
René Ancinas has served as the family-owned forest products company Port Blakely’s CEO since 2010 — an appointment preceded by five years with the business working in several different operations and leadership roles in its forestry and real-estate operations. In addition to his work at Port Blakely, Ancinas serves on the boards of directors for the National Alliance of Forest Owners and Washington Roundtable.
Port Blakely has implemented an “in-forest” storage and supply chain to recover wood residue (offcuts) from its forests in South Canterbury. What used to be considered waste is now being processed into wood chips and used as biofuel at the Washdyke Energy Centre.
NOAA Fisheries has approved a new conservation framework for about 30,000 acres of private forestland in northwest Oregon. It will improve habitat for threatened Chinook and coho salmon and steelhead over the coming decades. The habitat conservation plan addresses Port Blakely US Forestry forests in the Clackamas and Molalla basins.
The second session in the company's series, "Investing in the Future of Forestry: Building a Thriving Workforce," featured Terry Baker, CEO of the Society of American Foresters, and Kathryn Fernholz, President/CEO of Dovetail Partners and a founding member of the Steering Committee for the Women's Forestry Congress.
Crown Research Institute Scion welcomes the appointment of three new directors to its Board. Minister of Research, Science and Innovation Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall has appointed Nicole Anderson, Phil Taylor and Kiriwaitingi Rei-Russell to the Board for a three-year term, starting 10 July. They will join existing Board members for their first official meeting together in Rotorua on 27 July.
Commercial timber construction has been raised to new heights with the first-of-its-kind Structural Round Timber (SRT) building, the Children’s Museum of Eau Claire (CMEC). The project was realized by visionary Architectural, Engineering and Construction (AEC) leaders across the country in close partnership with WholeTrees Structures, a woman-owned national timber products company whose mission is to improve the economic viability between healthy-managed forests and their rural communities.