The Tangihua Forest

We cover

• The Geology of the area and how the ranges were formed, climate and weather
• Forest Regeneration As the Tangihua forest is a regenerating forest
• About the Trees and plants of the Tangihua forest
• Identifying the trees and plants of the Tangihua forest
• Identifying Northlands Juvenile Native Trees
• Birds
• Native mammal, insects and fish of the forest

The Lodge in the Tangihua Ranges

The type of forest in the Tangihua ranges is found nowhere else in the world.

The Northland peninsula has a unique subtropical/temperate climate. This plus altitude, terrain and soil type provides a favorable habitat for a wide range of unusual plants.

These plants in turn provide a habitat for a wide range of birds, invertebrates, (insects, snails, and aquatic life) in the forest. These animals are also unique.

The Tangihua Forest is typical of the Northland forests, most of which have disappeared. The forest provides habitat for three threatened plant species and 22 regionally significant plant species.

The Tangihua Forest is identified as a Level 1 site by the Protected Natural Areas Program.
A Level 1 site contains significant vegetation and/or significant habitats of indigenous fauna and is defined by the presence of one or more of the following ecological characteristics:

1. Contains or is regularly used by critical, endangered, vulnerable or declining or naturally uncommon taxa, or taxa of indeterminate threatened status nationally.
2. Contains or is regularly used by indigenous or endemic taxa that are threatened, rare, or of local occurrence in Northland or in the Ecological District.
3. Contains the best representative examples in the Ecological District of a particular ecological unit or combination of ecological units.
4. Has high diversity of taxa or habitat types for the Ecological District.
5. Forms ecological buffers, linkages or corridors to other areas of significant vegetation or significant habitats of indigenous fauna.
6. Contains habitat types that are rare or threatened in the Ecological District or regionally or nationally threatened.
7. Supports good populations of taxa which are endemic to Northland or Northland-Auckland.
8. Is important for endemic and indigenous migratory taxa.
9. Covers a large geographic area relative to other similar habitat types within the Ecological District

The Tangihua Forest is nationally ranked at no. 356 in DOCs Natural Heritage Management System – a higher ranking than Waipoua Forest!

The Tangihua Forest is now one of the only major forests without Kauri Dieback making it a very important ecosystem

It is very apparent that the fate of the ecosystems in the Tangihua ranges depend on putting in place conservation strategies which will significantly reduce or stop the damage inflicted by introduced pests.

Most of the above species, if this is done will regenerate or can be successfully reintroduced and established.

YouTube video By Dean Baigent-Mercer