Frequently Asked Questions
  
     
 
Questions About the Hancock Timber Resource Group
  
 

What is the history of your group?
The Hancock Timber Resource Group was established in 1985 as part of the John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company to focus solely on timberland investing for institutional clients. We offered the first of nine timberland investment funds in 1985 and began establishing individually managed accounts in 1987. In 1995, we became part of an independent subsidiary of John Hancock called the Hancock Natural Resource Group, Inc. The Hancock Natural Resource Group, Inc. consists of the Hancock Timber Resource Group and the Hancock Agricultural Investment Group.

What types of returns has your group generated?
As of December 31, 2011, our timberland investment portfolio has produced an average annual return of 11.7%, after fees, since inception (1985).

What is the market value of your timberland portfolio?
The market value of our timberland portfolio is $9.1 billion (as of December 31, 2011).

Where do you purchase timberland?
We evaluate timberland acquisition opportunities worldwide. Our current investments are in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Brazil. We are continuously monitoring timber producing regions around the world for acquisition opportunities that benefit our clients.

What types of properties do you purchase?
We focus on large, commercial timberland properties. Larger purchases provide benefits of scale such as lower operating costs.

What is your group's international investment experience?
We made our first timberland investment outside the United States in 1993 in British Columbia, Canada. As of December 31, 2011 approximately 40 percent of our assets under management reside outside the U.S. We are the largest private timberland owner in both Australia and New Zealand.

Does the Hancock Timber Resource Group have any international clients?
Yes, currently we have numerous clients located throughout Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Europe.

Who conducts your group's investment research?
Within HTRG exists an Economic Research division, comprised of full-time research professionals and staff. The Economic Research division performs a host of functions, from providing timber price forecasts bi-annually, assessing the appropriate rate of return from timberland based on the state of capital markets as measured against the risk of individual timberland regions, to analyzing specific aspects of timberland investment such as large-property discounts and the value of timberland in public and private markets.

Where are your offices located?
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