46:
28:
573:. Māori refer to West Coast, New Zealand as Te Tai Poutini. Population numbers probably never reached very high, no more than several hundred people probably lived in the area at any given time. Their settlements consisted mostly of small villages on the coast. Food sources were abundant in this area. Seafood was especially important to the Māori who smoked eels and seafish, dried
353:
New
Zealand is entirely in the temperate zone. The Westland forests receive high amounts of precipitation, reaching approximately 3,000 millimeters annually on the coast, about 4,700 millimeters at the Franz Josef and Fox glaciers, and exceeding 11,000 millimeters on the mountains where precipitation
659:
was established, and in 1982 the decision was made to add South Ōkārito and South
Waikukupa, as well as portions of the Karangarua forests, into the national park. This addition took place in light of a new National Parks Act that was helpful for determining the importance of preserving these areas.
557:
Many small animals live in the
Westland region, including plant-eaters such as snails, slugs, worms, insect larvae, millipedes, and sprintails. Carnivorous small animals include an extensive number of centipedes, ground beetles, and a huge number of spider species. A large number of the spiders that
358:
that the
Westland area sees so much precipitation. Westland’s coastal location means that its weather is more moderate than areas further inland. Much of the weather is caused by eastward-moving anticyclones. Summer temperatures average around 20 °C with highs around 30 °C. Snow is rare in
388:(800-1200m elevation; dense scrub, low forest), low-alpine (1200-1500m elevation; low scrub with tall grasslands), high-alpine (1500-2000 in some areas; herb fields and short grasslands), and nivel zones (as low as 1700m in some areas; incredibly sparse vegetation, only lichens on snow-free rock).
293:
névé extends from approximately 2,700 meters above sea level to about 1,500 meters above sea level. At this point the glacier “tongue” continues down the mountain reaching its lowest point at about 270 meters above sea level and from that area runs the Waiho River. The Franz Josef has moved many
281:
Approximately 57 glaciers have been identified within
Westland National Park. These all sit among the Southern Alps. Both the Franz Josef and Fox glaciers extend below the tree line, reaching areas as low as 300 meters above sea level. Glaciation in the area has carved out several
721:
The
Westland National Park features many opportunities for recreation including walking and hiking, fishing, skiing, boating, and taking tours around and on the local glaciers. There are many trails that can be explored that take you to various lakes, streams, rivers, and bluffs.
676:
Both fires and logging have been major disturbances in the
Westland forest area. Currently there is no logging going on in native forested areas of New Zealand. Much of the temperate rainforest found in Westland New Zealand has been dedicated to conservation purposes.
684:
Changes in climate may affect
Westland temperate rainforests in the future. There is a chance that increased frequencies of droughts may instigate increased risk of fire, causing potential for replacement of current rainforest vegetation with fire-adapted plants.
553:
can all be found in the
Westland rainforest area as well. Human habitation has highly affected the survival of many of these birds, and several species are endangered or rare. Approximately half of New Zealand's native forest birds are extinct.
672:
used to set intentional fires that affected the forests growing on the South Island. This greatly altered the landscape, and much of the forest along the east side of the South Island was replaced by grasslands.
680:
Some of the stands that feature rata-kamahi have trouble with die-back caused in part by opossums that like to find shelter within older trees (around 300 years), especially ones that grow on fertile ground.
286:. The last major glacial advance in this region happened approximately 17,000-20,000 years ago. Many glaciers in this area have not advanced or retreated recently, though there has been much thinning.
640:, traversed the Westland area, often with Māori guides to lead them. In 1860 James McKay, employed by the local colonial government, managed to purchase a large portion of the west coast of
246:, commonly referred to as the North Island and the South Island. The Westland forests are located along the central west coast portion of the South Island. South of these forests lay the
624:
and also observed the mountains lining the coast. Glaciers were first spotted in 1859 by the sailors on the Mary Louisa. Increased interest in the area began in the mid-1800s when the
372:
In
Westland, the landscape changes quickly from flat lowlands to mountains. Vegetation alters according to elevation, changing between lowland (0-400m elevation; forested, includes
701:
covers approximately 20,000 acres or about 81 square kilometers, about 25% of which is glaciers and snowfields. Other protected areas which cover portions of the ecoregion include
425:
487:
The largest sections of podocarp forest in Westland New Zealand are found around 43° latitude, where they grow from the western coastal region along the
471:
150:
1023:
1003:
329:
runs diagonally through the South Island of New Zealand from the upper right to the lower left. This fault runs directly between the
693:
Large portions of New Zealand have been placed under protection for conservation purposes. 82% of the ecoregion's land area is in
652:. By the early 1900s the height of search for gold had passed, but the residual negative effects of the search for gold remained.
205:
78:
333:
and the coastal lowlands, going directly through the Westland National Park. It is considered to be the greatest fault in
447:) trees arrive. Once many species have become well established and soil fertility increases new species, including pate (
998:
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522:
228:
36:
790:
1018:
1008:
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began exploring the Westland region in hope of good land for settlement. Over time, various explorers including
1013:
694:
668:
Human activity has been one of the major disturbances in the New Zealand Westland rainforest. At one point the
96:
706:
102:
710:
492:
330:
247:
91:
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for the price of 300 pounds. Four years later, in 1864, the desire for gold led thousands of miners to
306:
702:
138:
250:. Many glaciers are located in the Westland area. The Southern Alps run along the coast causing
506:
888:
784:
455:
338:
261:
have been protected for conservation purposes, especially in this region. This area has high
569:
occupied the Westland coastal area for several centuries before Europeans began to colonize
443:
431:
215:’s South Island, also known as Te Waipounamu. These forests are found in the region of the
982:
Brathwaite, Errol (1981). The Companion Guide to Westland. William Collins Publishers Ltd.
484:. Gaps between beech stands are occasionally filled with heath and subalpine bush plants.
8:
866:
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613:
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live on the ground do not build webs, rather they rely on speed and sight to catch prey.
538:
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61:
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the lowland areas but prominent at higher elevations, especially around local glaciers.
767:
740:
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396:
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251:
219:, which spans approximately 11,880 square kilometers. It is bounded on the west by the
66:
772:
501:
216:
475:, begin to establish. After several hundred years podocarp forests finally develop.
762:
752:
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419:
302:
973:
Wardle Peter (1991). Vegetation of New Zealand. Cambridge University Press. p.15
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There are a wide variety of birds that live in this region. Birdwatching in the
354:
generally arrives in the form of snowfall. It is due to the mountain ranges and
270:
633:
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342:
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was one of the last areas to be colonized and was primarily inhabited by the
224:
165:
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32:
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435:). After a couple decades trees begin to grow in the area and early rata (
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942:
Temperate and Boreal Rainforests of the World: Ecology and Conservation
530:
488:
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417:, begin to sprout, eventually giving way to species such as tree tutu (
220:
839:
741:"An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm"
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385:
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208:
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but was also collected from areas much farther away, including the
499:-kamahi forest is common in this area, along with mountain totara (
283:
45:
612:
Europeans first encountered Westland in 1642 when Dutch navigator
27:
578:
413:
381:
305:, though the name was eventually changed to Fox in honor of Sir
922:. New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.
586:
534:
373:
73:
594:
582:
496:
827:
From Mountains to Sea: The Story of Westland National Park
294:
times in the last century, both advancing and retreating.
739:
Dinerstein, Eric; Olson, David; et al. (June 2017).
526:
478:
Much of the temperate forest in Westland consists of
616:
first sighted mountain peaks from his ship. In 1770
301:
was originally named the Albert glacier by explorer
581:. Other local food sources included birds such as
399:in this area begins with mosses and algae such as
265:of plants and animals. Due to its remote location
990:
738:
962:Plants and Landscape in Westland National Park
242:comprises two separate islands located in the
936:
934:
932:
930:
928:
309:, former Prime Minister of the Colony. The
589:. Stone working was also common among the
956:
954:
952:
950:
869:. Digital Observatory for Protected Areas
821:
766:
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732:
593:who had access to greenstone, a nephrite
925:
819:
817:
815:
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811:
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411:. Seedlings, including willow-herbs and
227:. Much of this area is protected by the
211:located along the central west coast of
991:
967:
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914:
912:
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908:
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597:that was most often gathered near the
273:until Europeans arrived in the 1600s.
1024:Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests
832:
798:
206:temperate broadleaf and mixed forests
120:5,136 km (1,983 sq mi)
79:temperate broadleaf and mixed forests
1004:Environment of the West Coast Region
903:
854:
337:, and forms a boundary between the
13:
920:Glaciers of Westland National Park
881:
795:Supplemental material 2 table S1b.
699:Westland Tai Poutini National Park
657:Westland Tai Poutini National Park
577:, and often collected seaweed and
523:Westland Tai Poutini National Park
229:Westland Tai Poutini National Park
37:Westland Tai Poutini National Park
14:
1035:
829:. Department of Lands and Survey.
313:sits about 15 miles south of the
964:. National Parks Authority. p.10
384:(400-800m elevation; forested),
44:
26:
976:
688:
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50:Ecoregion territory (in purple)
940:DellaSala, Dominic A. (2011).
525:provides opportunities to see
202:Westland temperate rainforests
97:Nelson Coast temperate forests
1:
789:: CS1 maint: date and year (
725:
716:
276:
889:"Westland temperate forests"
867:"Westland temperate forests"
707:Mount Aspiring National Park
234:
103:Southland montane grasslands
7:
891:. The Encyclopedia of Earth
711:Waitangiroto Nature Reserve
367:
248:Fiordland temperate forests
92:Fiordland temperate forests
10:
1040:
561:
541:, and native pigeons. The
453:), New Zealand broadleaf (
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198:Westland temperate forests
21:Westland temperate forests
999:Ecoregions of New Zealand
223:, and on the east by the
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840:"Map of Ecoregions 2017"
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254:and high precipitation.
1019:Australasian ecoregions
703:Fiordland National Park
1009:Forests of New Zealand
960:Wardle, Peter (1979).
825:Potton, Craig (1985).
511:Metrosideros umbellata
1014:Temperate rainforests
758:10.1093/biosci/bix014
459:), and ferns such as
456:Griselinia littoralis
339:Indo-Australian Plate
444:Pterophylla racemosa
432:Veronica salicifolia
426:Carmichaelia arborea
200:, also known as the
918:Sara, W.A. (1970).
636:, James McKay, and
626:New Zealand Company
614:Abel Janzoon Tasman
462:Zealandia pustulata
450:Schefflera digitata
315:Franz Josef Glacier
291:Franz Josef Glacier
244:Southern Hemisphere
162: /
618:Captain James Cook
547:spur-winged plover
397:Primary succession
356:orographic lifting
257:Large portions of
252:orographic lifting
502:Podocarpus laetus
429:), and koromiko (
217:Westland District
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420:Coriaria arborea
303:Julius von Haast
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190:4,311 km² (84%)
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33:Lake Matheson
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893:. Retrieved
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871:. Retrieved
844:. Retrieved
834:
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689:Conservation
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408:Trentepohlia
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327:Alpine Fault
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263:biodiversity
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197:
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182:Conservation
67:Australasian
15:
650:New Zealand
642:New Zealand
622:New Zealand
603:Haast River
571:New Zealand
402:Racomitrium
335:New Zealand
311:Fox Glacier
307:William Fox
299:Fox Glacier
267:New Zealand
259:New Zealand
240:New Zealand
213:New Zealand
169: /
145:Coordinates
129:New Zealand
993:Categories
895:August 20,
846:August 20,
745:BioScience
726:References
717:Recreation
549:, and the
531:passerines
491:up to the
489:Tasman Sea
481:Nothofagus
423:), broom (
277:Glaciation
221:Tasman Sea
139:West Coast
842:. Resolve
655:In 1961,
644:from the
575:whitebait
466:pustulata
386:subalpine
378:epiphytes
235:Geography
209:ecoregion
187:Protected
112:Geography
873:16 April
777:28608869
539:fantails
368:Zonation
341:and the
284:moraines
157:169°27′E
768:5451287
579:mussels
562:History
535:tomtits
464:subsp.
414:Raoulia
382:montane
363:Ecology
349:Climate
321:Geology
204:, is a
154:43°42′S
135:Regions
125:Country
85:Borders
56:Ecology
775:
765:
709:, and
587:pigeon
543:pūkeko
505:) and
374:lianas
670:Māori
646:Māori
591:Māori
567:Māori
517:Fauna
392:Flora
271:Māori
74:Biome
62:Realm
897:2021
875:2023
848:2021
791:link
773:PMID
605:and
595:jade
585:and
583:duck
551:kiwi
497:Rimu
469:and
405:and
376:and
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