Akatarawa Forest is a regional park in the

Upper Hutt Upper Hutt ( mi, Te Awa Kairangi ki Uta) is a city in the Wellington Region of New Zealand and one of the four cities that constitute the Wellington metropolitan area. Geography The Upper Hutt city centre lies approximately 26 km north-e ...

within the

Wellington Region Greater Wellington, also known as the Wellington Region (Māori: ''Te Upoko o te Ika''), is a non-unitary region of New Zealand that occupies the southernmost part of the North Island. The region covers an area of , and has a population of T ...

at the southern tip of the North Island of

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

. It encompasses 15,000 hectares of native and plantation forest. It includes the headwaters of the Maungakotukutuku Steam, Akatarawa River West and the Whakatīkei River. The park is owned and managed by

Greater Wellington Regional Council Wellington Regional Council, branded as Greater Wellington Regional Council, is the regional council overseeing the Wellington Region of New Zealand's lower North Island. It is responsible for public transport under the brand Metlink, environm ...

, making it one of the largest landowners in New Zealand. Akatarawa is a Maori name meaning 'Trailing vines'. Activities include cycling, hunting, fishing, horse riding, 4WD-vehicle trips and trail biking, including at the

Karapoti Gorge Karapoti Gorge is one of the entrances into the Akatarawa Forest, a regional park in the Wellington Region in New Zealand. The Akatarawa River West runs through this narrow, mostly bush-clad gorge towards the Akatarawa Valley The Akatarawa Va ...

History

Akatarawa Forest has ancient northern rātā which predate human habitation of New Zealand, including one tree which is believed to be 1100 years old. Some of these trees are wider than

Tāne Mahuta Tāne Mahuta, also called "God of the Forest", is a giant kauri tree (''Agathis australis'') in the Waipoua Forest of Northland Region, New Zealand. Its age is unknown but is estimated to be between 1,250 and 2,500 years. It is the largest livin ...

. One is largest rātā tree in New Zealand, at 39 metres tall. Greater Wellington Regional Council carried out a 1080 dropping programme in 2013 to reduce pest species. In 2016, some 4WD and motorbike tracks were planted, while others were officially recognised for the first time, following a review of wetlands in the park. A trailbiker was seriously injured in the park in July 2017. A dirt-biker was rescued from the forest in February 2021. Between December 2017 and August 2018, a 1.7 kilometre zig-zag track that is part of the Cannon Point Walkway was closed to the public due to a disagreement between Upper Hutt City Council and a private landowner over land access. In early 2021,

Forest and Bird Forest & Bird ( mi, Te Reo o te Taiao), also known by its formal name as the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand, is an environmental organisation specialising in the protection and conservation of New Zealand's indigenous f ...

campaigned for Upper Hutt City Council to keep a 35-hectare block as a wildlife corridor and reserve, connecting Akatawa Forest with

Wainuiomata Wainuiomata () is a large suburb of Lower Hutt, in the Wellington Region of New Zealand's North Island. Origin of name The word 'Wainui-o-mata' is a Māori name made up of the words Wai = water, Nui = big, O = of, and Mata – which could refer ...

. In July 2021, a further 1080 operation was carried out in 2021 to combat a resurgence in possum numbers. Heavy rain was contaminated dead possums in the Hutt River and Wellington Harbour.

References

{{Wellington Regional Council Forests of New Zealand Forestry in New Zealand Regional parks of New Zealand Upper Hutt