Previous research across a broad range of environmental conditions in New Zealand identified particular soil properties for monitoring soil and site quality in planted forests which include: total C, total N, total P, C:N, mineralizable N, pH, Olsen P, bulk density, macroporosity, and depth of A horizon. The relative importance of these key properties of mineral soil suggests that nutrient cycling dynamics play a large role in production ecosystems. Thus, a closer look at how forest management impacts nutrient cycling processes will be essential for developing a functional forest soil quality model. The specific objectives of this study were to investigate the impacts of tree species selection (Pinus Radiata vs. Cupressus lusitanica), soil disturbance, and fertilization treatments on potentially mineralizable nitrogen, litter decomposition, wood decay, and soil water supply.  These soil processes were measured during the final year of growth (year 4) on highly stocked plots (40,000 stems ha^-1) at ten sites distributed across New Zealand that represent the broad range of edaphic and environmental conditions where plantation forests currently occur. The results of this study are anticipated to be relevant to sustainability protocols which monitor forest soils and nutrient cycling processes in planted forests.