Westland temperate forests facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Westland temperate forests |
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Ecoregion territory (in purple)
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| Ecology | |
| Realm | Australasian |
| Biome | temperate broadleaf and mixed forests |
| Borders | Fiordland temperate forests, Nelson Coast temperate forests, and Southland montane grasslands |
| Geography | |
| Area | 5,136 km2 (1,983 sq mi) |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Regions | West Coast |
| Conservation | |
| Protected | 4,311 km² (84%) |
The Westland temperate forests, also called the Westland temperate rainforests, are a special type of forest. They are found on the central west coast of New Zealand's South Island. This island is also known as Te Waipounamou. These forests are part of an ecoregion, which is a large area with a unique mix of plants and animals.
The Westland forests cover about 11,880 square kilometers. To the west, they meet the Tasman Sea. To the east, they are bordered by the tall Southern Alps mountains. A big part of this forest area is protected inside the Westland Tai Poutini National Park.
Contents
Exploring Westland's Geography
New Zealand is made up of two main islands in the Southern Hemisphere. These are called the North Island and the South Island. The Westland forests are located along the middle part of the South Island's west coast. South of these forests, you'll find the Fiordland temperate forests.
Many amazing glaciers are also found in the Westland area. The Southern Alps run along the coast. These mountains cause a lot of rain and snow to fall. This happens because moist air is forced upwards by the mountains. This process is called orographic lifting.
A lot of New Zealand's land is protected to save its nature. This is especially true in the Westland region. This area has a very high biodiversity, meaning many different kinds of plants and animals live here. Because New Zealand is so far away, it was one of the last places to be settled by people. The Māori lived here first, long before Europeans arrived in the 1600s.
Glaciers in Westland
About 57 glaciers have been found within Westland National Park. All of them are located among the Southern Alps. Two famous glaciers, the Franz Josef Glacier and the Fox Glacier, stretch down below the tree line. They reach areas as low as 300 meters above sea level.
Over time, these glaciers have carved out many landforms called moraines. These are hills or ridges made of rock and dirt left behind by glaciers. The last major time glaciers grew very large here was about 17,000 to 20,000 years ago. Many glaciers in this area have not moved much recently. However, they have become much thinner.
The top part of the Franz Josef Glacier (called the névé) is very high up. It goes from about 2,700 meters down to 1,500 meters above sea level. From there, the glacier's "tongue" continues down the mountain. It reaches its lowest point at about 270 meters above sea level. The Waiho River starts from this area. The Franz Josef Glacier has moved many times in the last 100 years, both growing and shrinking.
The Fox Glacier was first named the Albert glacier. It was named by an explorer called Julius von Haast. Later, its name was changed to Fox. This was to honor Sir William Fox, who used to be the Prime Minister of the Colony. The Fox Glacier is about 15 miles south of the Franz Josef Glacier.
Westland's Geology
The Alpine Fault is a very important geological feature. It runs diagonally across the South Island of New Zealand. This fault goes right between the Southern Alps and the flat coastal areas. It passes directly through Westland National Park.
The Alpine Fault is considered the biggest fault in New Zealand. It forms a boundary between two huge pieces of the Earth's crust. These are the Indo-Australian Plate and the Pacific Plate.
Westland's Climate
New Zealand is entirely located in the temperate zone. This means it has mild weather, not too hot or too cold. The Westland forests get a lot of rain. The coast receives about 3,000 millimeters of rain each year. Near the Franz Josef Glacier and Fox Glacier, it gets about 4,700 millimeters. On the mountains, it can get over 11,000 millimeters, mostly as snow.
The high mountain ranges and orographic lifting cause so much rain and snow in Westland. Because Westland is on the coast, its weather is milder than areas further inland. Much of the weather is caused by large high-pressure systems moving eastward. Summer temperatures usually average around 20 °C. They can reach highs of about 30 °C. Snow is rare in the low areas. However, it is common at higher elevations, especially around the glaciers.
Westland's Ecology
Plant Zones by Elevation
In Westland, the land quickly changes from flat lowlands to tall mountains. The types of plants change as you go higher up. This is called zonation.
- Lowland Zone (0-400m elevation): This area is forested. It includes climbing plants called lianas and plants that grow on other plants, called epiphytes.
- Montane Zone (400-800m elevation): This area is also forested.
- Subalpine Zone (800-1200m elevation): Here, you find dense scrub and low forests.
- Low-Alpine Zone (1200-1500m elevation): This zone has low scrub with tall grasslands.
- High-Alpine Zone (1500-2000m in some areas): This zone has herb fields and short grasslands.
- Nivel Zone (as low as 1700m in some areas): This zone has very few plants. You'll only find lichens on rocks that are not covered by snow.
Westland's Flora (Plants)
When new land forms, like after a glacier retreats, plants start to grow in a process called Primary succession. First, mosses and algae like Racomitrium and Trentepohlia appear. Then, small seedlings like willow-herbs and Raoulia begin to sprout.
Later, larger plants like tree tutu (Coriaria arborea), broom (Carmichaelia grandiflora), and koromiko (Hebe salicifolia) start to grow. After a few decades, trees like early rata (Metrosideros) and kamahi (Weinmannia racemosa) arrive. As more species grow and the soil becomes richer, new plants establish. These include pate (Schefflera digitata), New Zealand broadleaf (Griselinia littoralis), and ferns. After hundreds of years, tall podocarp forests finally develop.
Much of the temperate forest in Westland is made up of Nothofagus trees, also known as beech trees. Spaces between these beech stands sometimes have heath plants and subalpine bush plants.
The largest parts of the podocarp forest in Westland are found around 43° latitude. They grow from the western coast along the Tasman Sea up to the Southern Alps. Rimu-kamahi forest is common here. You can also find mountain totara and southern rata trees.
Westland's Fauna (Animals)
Many different birds live in this region. If you go birdwatching in the Westland Tai Poutini National Park, you might see kea parrots, passerines (songbirds), tomtits, fantails, and native pigeons. The pukeko, spur-winged plover, and the famous kiwi bird can also be found in the Westland rainforest.
Human activity has greatly affected many of these birds. Sadly, several species are now endangered or rare. About half of New Zealand's native forest birds are now extinct.
Many small animals also live in the Westland region. Plant-eaters include snails, slugs, worms, insect larvae, millipedes, and springtails. Carnivorous (meat-eating) small animals include many centipedes, ground beetles, and a huge number of spider species. Many ground spiders do not build webs. Instead, they use their speed and good eyesight to catch their prey.
Westland's History
The Māori lived in the Westland coastal area for several centuries. This was before Europeans started to settle in New Zealand. The Māori call the West Coast of New Zealand Te Tai Poutini. The number of people living there was probably never very high. Perhaps only a few hundred people lived in the area at any time. Their homes were mostly small villages along the coast.
Food was plentiful in this area. Seafood was very important to the Māori. They smoked eels and sea fish. They also dried whitebait and collected seaweed and mussels. Other local foods included birds like duck and pigeon.
Stone working was also common among the Māori. They had access to greenstone, a type of jade called nephrite. This stone was often gathered near the Arahura River. It was also collected from places much farther away, like the Haast River and Lake Wakatipu.
Europeans first saw Westland in 1642. This was when Dutch sailor Abel Janzoon Tasman first saw mountain peaks from his ship. In 1770, Captain James Cook sailed all the way around New Zealand. He also saw the mountains along the coast. Glaciers were first spotted in 1859 by sailors on the Mary Louisa ship.
More interest in the area began in the mid-1800s. The New Zealand Company started exploring Westland. They hoped to find good land for new settlements. Over time, many explorers traveled through Westland. These included Charles Heaphy, Thomas Brunner, James McKay, and Julius von Haast. They often had Māori guides to help them.
In 1860, James McKay bought a large part of New Zealand's west coast from the Māori. He was working for the local government. He paid 300 pounds for the land. Four years later, in 1864, thousands of miners came to New Zealand looking for gold. By the early 1900s, the main search for gold had ended. However, the negative effects of the gold rush remained.
In 1961, the Westland Tai Poutini National Park was created. In 1982, more areas were added to the park. These included South Ōkārito, South Waikukupa, and parts of the Karangarua forests. This expansion happened because a new National Parks Act helped show how important it was to protect these areas.
Changes and Challenges in Westland
Human activity has been one of the main things that has changed the New Zealand Westland rainforest. Long ago, the Māori used to set fires on purpose. These fires affected the forests growing on the South Island. This greatly changed the landscape. Much of the forest on the east side of the South Island was replaced by grasslands.
Both fires and logging have caused big changes in the Westland forest area. Today, there is no logging happening in the native forested areas of New Zealand. Much of the temperate rainforest in Westland is now protected for conservation.
Some areas with rata-kamahi trees have problems with "die-back." This means trees get sick and die. It's partly caused by opossums. Opossums like to find shelter inside older trees (around 300 years old), especially those on fertile ground.
Changes in climate might affect Westland temperate rainforests in the future. There is a chance that droughts could happen more often. This might increase the risk of fires. If fires happen, the current rainforest plants could be replaced by plants that can survive fires.
Protecting Westland's Nature
Large parts of New Zealand are now protected to save their natural environment. The Westland Tai Poutini National Park covers about 20,000 acres, or about 81 square kilometers. About 25% of this park is made up of glaciers and snowfields.
Fun Activities in Westland
Westland National Park offers many fun things to do. You can go walking and hiking, fishing, skiing, and boating. You can also take tours around and on the local glaciers. There are many trails to explore that lead to beautiful lakes, streams, rivers, and bluffs.
