Akatarawa Forest is a regional park in the Upper Hutt within the Wellington Region at the southern tip of the

North Island The North Island, also officially named Te Ika-a-Māui, is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but much less populous South Island by the Cook Strait. The island's area is , making it the world's 14th-largest ...

of New Zealand. 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 Whakatīkei River is a river of the Wellington Region of New Zealand's North Island. It flows generally southeast from its sources close to the west coast, southeast of Paekākāriki Paekākāriki () is a town in the Kapiti Coast District ...

. The park is owned and managed by Greater Wellington Regional Council, 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.

History

Akatarawa Forest has ancient

northern rātā ''Metrosideros robusta'', the northern rātā, is a forest tree endemic to New Zealand. It grows up to or taller, and usually begins its life as a hemiepiphyte high in the branches of a mature forest tree; over centuries the young tree sends d ...

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. 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 The Cannon Point Walkway is a hiking trail in the Akatarawa Forest on the western side of the Hutt Valley in the North Island of New Zealand. The walkway is a loop of in length, ascending to the Cannon Point Triangulation station, trig at , a ...

was closed to the public due to a disagreement between

Upper Hutt City Council 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 ...

and a private landowner over land access. In early 2021, Forest and Bird campaigned for

to keep a 35-hectare block as a wildlife corridor and reserve, connecting Akatawa Forest with Wainuiomata. 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