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The natural environment
Northland has the warmest climate in New Zealand, with frost
very rare at low altitude. These conditions have favoured the
emergence of forest associations rich in trees such as taraire,
pururi, pohutukawa and, most distinctive of all, kauri. (More
about kauri below).
When humans first settled in New Zealand, Northland was covered
with forest, a third of which was dominated by kauri. Extensive
timber milling during the 19th century and until the 1940s resulted
in the near elimination of all kauri forest. From 1 million
hectares (2.5 million acres) originally, only about 7500 hectares
(18,750 acres) of mature unmodified kauri forest now remain.
These remnants are now protected in several pockets throughout
Northland, for a total of about 80,000 hectares (200,000 acres).
The Department of Conservation has proposed that a Kauri National
Park should be established in order to give full recognition
and protection to these forests.
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main kauri forests of Northland: |
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Kauri
Kauris are amont the largest and oldest living trees in the
world. Te Matua Ngahere is estimated to be 2000 years old. It
has the greatest girth of all living kauris, at 16.41 m (53.8
'). The largest girth reported on a felled tree was over 23
m (measured diameter 7.41 m/24.3 '). While Tane Mahuta is younger
(1500 years old) and has a smaller girth (13.77 m/45.2 '), it
is higher and has the greatest volume: 244 m3. A perfectly cylindrical
trunk can soar up to 30 m (100') before the first branches.
Other trees and plants
The forests of Northland contain a variety of other large trees
such as rimu, rata, taraire, kohekohe, tawa, and pukatea. There
is a dense understory of tree ferns, nikau palms, lianas, shrubs,
ferns and kauri grass.
Wildlife
The native forests of Northland are a refuge for a number of
endangered native species, and kaka, kokako, red-crowned parakeet
(kakariki), long-tailed and short-tailed bats can still be found
there in small numbers. North Island brown kiwis, although declining,
still number in the thousands. The New Zealand pigeon is more
abundant, although its numbers have also been declining, partly
due to poaching. Other common forest bird species include fantails,
tuis, grey warblers, and shining cuckoos.
Among the invertebrates these forests are home to kauri snails,
a large carnivorous species, and wetas.
Related information:
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