Riverhead Forest is a state owned forest to the north-west of

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...

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 ...

. Originally a

kauri ''Agathis'', commonly known as kauri or dammara, is a genus of 22 species of evergreen tree. The genus is part of the ancient conifer family Araucariaceae, a group once widespread during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, but now largely res ...

-dense native forest, the area was logged and the soil dug for

kauri gum Kauri gum is resin from kauri trees (''Agathis australis''), which historically had several important industrial uses. It can also be used to make crafts such as jewellery. Kauri forests once covered much of the North Island of New Zealand, be ...

during the Colonial Era of New Zealand. In the 1920s, the area was designated as a state forest where ''

Pinus radiata ''Pinus radiata'' ( syn. ''Pinus insignis''), the Monterey pine, insignis pine or radiata pine, is a species of pine native to the Central Coast of California and Mexico (Guadalupe Island and Cedros island). It is an evergreen conifer in the fa ...

'' was grown. The forest is known for its recreational pursuits, including

paintball Paintball is a competitive team shooting sport in which players eliminate opponents from play by hitting them with spherical dye-filled gelatin capsules called paintballs that break upon impact. Paintballs are usually shot using low-energy ai ...

, horse trekking and hunting.

Geography

The forest is 4,846 hectares in size. The forest is bordered by the Auckland townships of

Huapai Huapai is a locality north-west of Auckland, New Zealand. State Highway 16 and the North Auckland Railway Line pass through it. Kumeū is adjacent to the east, Riverhead is to the north-east, and Waimauku to the west. History The area was ...

Kumeū Kumeū is an affluent rural town and suburb of Auckland situated 25 km north-west of the City Centre in New Zealand. State Highway 16 and the North Auckland Line pass through the town. Huapai lies to the west, Riverhead to the north, When ...

and Riverhead to the south, and the affluent rural community of Coatesville to the east. To the north and west, the forest is bordered by rural areas of Rodney, including the West Auckland vineyards. The forest is named after the township of Riverhead. The coldest temperature recorded in the

Auckland Region Auckland () is one of the sixteen regions of New Zealand, which takes its name from the eponymous urban area. The region encompasses the Auckland Metropolitan Area, smaller towns, rural areas, and the islands of the Hauraki Gulf. Containing ...

, was recorded at Riverhead Forest in June 1936.

History

The land was purchased from

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei or Ngāti Whātua-o-Ōrākei is an Auckland-based Māori hapū (sub-tribe) in New Zealand. Together with Te Uri-o-Hau, Te Roroa and Te Taoū, it comprises the iwi (tribe) of Ngāti Whātua. These four hapū can act togethe ...

in the mid-1800s. The future location of the Riverhead Forest was isolated, and so remained mostly unoccupied. Originally a native forest primarily consisting of

trees, the area was logged and

was dug from the soil. Gumdigging was profitable in the late 19th century and early 20th century, and at its peak there were 12 gumdigger camps in the Riverhead Forest area. In the early 20th century as transport connections to the area improved, there was greater public pressure to release the land for agriculture. In the 1920s, the

New Zealand Government , background_color = #012169 , image = New Zealand Government wordmark.svg , image_size=250px , date_established = , country = New Zealand , leader_title = Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern , appointed = Governor-General , main_organ = , ...

intended to divide the area into 36 allotments, as a part of the Riverhead Homestead Settlement scheme. In 1926, the land was designated as a production forest by the state, after the Commissioner of Crown Lands suggested the area for this use a year earlier. Private land within the forest borders was purchased by the state, and tree planting began in 1927, with most of the forest planted by 1933. The first generation of pine trees failed, due to phosphate deficiency in the soil. After this was identified as an issue in the 1950s, the pine forest began to thrive. The findings at the Riverhead Forest were important for New Zealand forestry, as this led to forestry soils being tested to ensure a correct nutrient balance was available. The forest is owned by the

, and is administered by

Carter Holt Harvey __NOTOC__ Carter Holt Harvey Limited is a privately-owned New Zealand-based company controlled by Rank Group Limited, the corporate vehicle of the country's richest man, Graeme Hart. Based in Auckland, New Zealand, the company has three main div ...

, which purchased tree cutting rights in 1990.

Recreation

The forest is known for biking and horse trails. Riverhead Forest is host to events involving mountain bikers,

four-wheel drive Four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four by four") or 4WD, refers to a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer case ...

vehicles and dog sled drivers. The forest is also popular in winter months for hunters looking for wild pigs, and is the location of the longest running

field, which has been operating since 1985.

Gallery

File:Riverhead Forest 20211205 124339.jpg, View of the Riverhead Forest looking south towards

File:Riverhead Forest 20211205 124135.jpg, Recently felled section of the Riverhead Forest File:Riverhead Forest - XTerra Race 3.jpg,

Trail runners A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. T ...

competing in the XTerra Trail Run Series in 2009 File:Riverhead Forest - Remains of the mill and the upper harbour.jpg, Remains of the Riverhead Forest mill

References

{{Reflist Forestry in New Zealand Forests of New Zealand Landforms of the Auckland Region Outdoor recreation in New Zealand