Pureora Forest Park

About

Covering 760-square-kilometres, Pureora Forest Park is one of the largest tracts of native forest in the North Island, and one of the finest rainforests in the world. Especially notable are the abundance of 1,000-year-old podocarp trees in the forest. Prized for their sturdy, rot-resistant wood, the podocarps are traditionally used by Maori in boat building, and anywhere else where strong wood is needed. Along with these are other towering giants like kahikatea, matai, miro, and rimu trees, surrounded by beds of lush ferns. The wide variety of plantlife and terrain supports an abundance of wildlife, most notably birds like the uku, kakariki, and kaka, which you’re sure to hear from atop the forest tower puts you right up in the canopy. Just outside the park on a private piece of land you can find the country’s tallest tree.