With over 10.1 million hectares of native and exotic forests, New Zealand forests are home to 260 species of native trees and 640 species of native shrubs. The New Zealand forests have also become a habitat for reptiles, invertebrates and over 32 species of native birds, including the kiwi bird. In addition to its ecological value, New Zealand’s forests are integral to indigenous Maori culture that connects people, community and nature.

New Zealand’s native forests and their unique ecosystems (such as kauri, kahikatea swamp, pōhutukawa, and mixed broadleaved forests) occupy seven million hectares of land, approximately 25 percent of the country’s total area. Waipoua forest, arguably the most famous among New Zealand’s kauri forests, is the largest remaining tract of native forest in Northland with its towering trees and rare birds. This forest is home to the 2,000-year-old Tāne Mahuta, the country’s largest kauri tree and dubbed “The Lord of the Forest”.

Despite its ecological and cultural importance, the last 700 years have been destructive to New Zealand’s native forests. The country that was once 80 percent covered by dense forestry now stands at just 25%. Development, logging, land clearance, natural disasters, and climate cycles have threatened the forests, their biodiversity and interconnected ecosystems. With land clearance forcing forests to  make way for human settlement, it is our responsibility to protect  and maintain these diverse ecosystems for generations to come.

Your contribution will make sure that thousands of trees will be planted to sustain our forests today and in the future, protecting our rich ecosystems and cultural heritage.