Beech forests in Wainuiomata thrive in the hills at higher elevations.
Numerous reserves around Wainuiomata, including the Northern Forest and Remutaka Forest Park, and to a lesser extent, the Wainuiomata Regional Park, contain extensive areas of native beech forest. In the Northern Forest, beech forms much of the forest covering the steep hills between Wainuiomata and Eastbourne, while large areas of the Remutaka Range are also dominated by beech.
Beech forest is particularly common on hillsides, exposed slopes and ridges where conditions are generally cooler, drier and more windswept than in the sheltered valleys below. On parts of the Ōrongorongo Track, for example, the forest becomes more open and increasingly dominated by hard beech as the track climbs onto the drier slopes of Cattle Ridge. At higher elevations elsewhere in the Remutaka Range, beech continues onto exposed ridges and mountain slopes.
The character of these forests can be noticeably different from the lush podocarp, broadleaf forest of lower valleys and sheltered gullies. Beech forest often has a more open canopy and a relatively sparse understorey, although wetter areas can support dense ferns, mosses and other native vegetation. Large northern rātā may also rise above the beech canopy in places, creating some of the most impressive forest landscapes around Wainuiomata and the Remutaka Range.
The transition between forest types is not always clearly defined. Beech, broadleaf trees, tree ferns, podocarps and northern rātā can occur together, with their relative abundance changing according to altitude, slope, exposure, drainage and local conditions. This creates a varied mosaic of native forest across the hills surrounding Wainuiomata.
The presence of beech tree species varies with elevation and soil conditions. Here’s an overview:
- Red Beech (Fuscospora fusca): Prefers deep, fertile soils in lower montane areas.
- Hard Beech (Fuscospora truncata): Thrives in drier conditions and is common at lower elevations.
- Black Beech (Fuscospora solandri): Often found on ridges and drier sites with poorer soils. Black beech is a characteristic species in the Wellington region.
- Silver Beech (Lophozonia menziesii): Typically found at higher elevations in places like the Remutaka Range, where it can dominate the forest canopy.
- Mountain Beech (Fuscospora cliffortioides): Also dominates higher elevations, forming extensive pure stands, but is less common than Silver Beech.
