Kaingaroa Forest

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title: "Kaingaroa Forest" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["rotorua-lakes-district", "forests-of-new-zealand", "forestry-in-new-zealand", "geography-of-the-bay-of-plenty-region", "populated-places-in-the-bay-of-plenty-region"] description: "Forest plantation in New Zealand" topic_path: "technology/web" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaingaroa_Forest" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Forest plantation in New Zealand ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/NZ-Kaingaroa_F.png" caption="Location of the Kaingaroa Forest"] ::

Kaingaroa Forest covers 2900 km2 of the Bay of Plenty Region of New Zealand, and is the largest forest plantation in New Zealand, and the second largest in the Southern Hemisphere (after the 6000 km2 Sabie/Graskop plantation in South Africa). The forest stretches from Lake Taupō in the south to Kawerau to the north and has roughly 20 million trees. The headquarters of the forest are at the small settlement of Kaingaroa, Bay of Plenty, 50 km southeast of Rotorua. Prior to planting the area was a tussock and scrub plateau (ranging between 500 and high), formed on volcanic ash.

The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "long area of land" for Kāingaroa.

The forest was first planted in the late 1920s and owned as a state asset by the New Zealand government. Experimental planting of douglas fir and radiata pine began on a 5 acre block at Kaingaroa in 1901 and continued from 1906 using Waiotapu prison labour. By 1932 the pines averaged 128 ft high and 2.1 ft in diameter. Later planting was as an unemployment relief scheme. While under government control it was known as the Kaingaroa State Forest.

In the 1980s the government sought to sell the forests to private interests. Several Māori iwi went to Court to prevent the sale, arguing that they were the traditional owners of the land, that the land had been wrongfully taken from them, and that the government should retain the land until a settlement of the claims had been reached. It has taken 20 years to reach settlement of those claims and to see the forest lands returned to their traditional owners. On 1 July 2009, it passed to a group of tribes that were the traditional land owners in partial settlement of their claims that the Crown breached the Treaty of Waitangi. The forests themselves (the trees) continue to be owned by a private company (Kaingaroa Timberlands Ltd), which holds a forestry licence over the land.

New Zealand State Highway 38, from Wai-O-Tapu to Murupara crosses the forest.

Climate

|metric first=y |single line=y |collapsed = Y |location = Wairapukao Forest, elevation 437 m, (1968–1987 normals, extremes 1951–1987) | Jan record high C = 32.8 | Feb record high C = 32.1 | Mar record high C = 29.3 | Apr record high C = 26.1 | May record high C = 21.1 | Jun record high C = 21.6 | Jul record high C = 16.5 | Aug record high C = 18.4 | Sep record high C = 23.0 | Oct record high C = 27.7 | Nov record high C = 27.6 | Dec record high C = 30.0 | year record high C = 32.8 | Jan avg record high C = 28.9 | Feb avg record high C = 28.3 | Mar avg record high C = 25.2 | Apr avg record high C = 21.6 | May avg record high C = 17.8 | Jun avg record high C = 15.9 | Jul avg record high C = 14.5 | Aug avg record high C = 15.2 | Sep avg record high C = 18.1 | Oct avg record high C = 21.5 | Nov avg record high C = 24.9 | Dec avg record high C = 26.5 | year avg record high C = 29.5 | Jan high C = 23.1 | Feb high C = 22.9 | Mar high C = 20.8 | Apr high C = 17.4 | May high C = 13.9 | Jun high C = 11.4 | Jul high C = 10.9 | Aug high C = 12.0 | Sep high C = 14.0 | Oct high C = 16.4 | Nov high C = 19.1 | Dec high C = 21.1 | year high C = | Jan mean C = 16.5 | Feb mean C = 16.2 | Mar mean C = 14.6 | Apr mean C = 11.2 | May mean C = 7.8 | Jun mean C = 5.8 | Jul mean C = 5.2 | Aug mean C = 6.4 | Sep mean C = 8.2 | Oct mean C = 10.4 | Nov mean C = 12.9 | Dec mean C = 14.9 | year mean C = | Jan low C = 9.8 | Feb low C = 9.5 | Mar low C = 8.4 | Apr low C = 4.9 | May low C = 1.6 | Jun low C = 0.2 | Jul low C = -0.6 | Aug low C = 0.8 | Sep low C = 2.4 | Oct low C = 4.3 | Nov low C = 6.6 | Dec low C = 8.7 | year low C = | Jan avg record low C = 1.9 | Feb avg record low C = 2.1 | Mar avg record low C = -0.3 | Apr avg record low C = -2.7 | May avg record low C = -5.0 | Jun avg record low C = -6.5 | Jul avg record low C = -7.0 | Aug avg record low C = -5.7 | Sep avg record low C = -4.5 | Oct avg record low C = -3.4 | Nov avg record low C = -1.3 | Dec avg record low C = 0.9 | year avg record low C = -7.7 |Jan record low C = -1.0 |Feb record low C = -1.1 |Mar record low C = -3.6 |Apr record low C = -5.1 |May record low C = -6.4 |Jun record low C = -8.5 |Jul record low C = -13.0 |Aug record low C = -8.2 |Sep record low C = -7.7 |Oct record low C = -5.7 |Nov record low C = -4.0 |Dec record low C = -3.9 |year record low C = -13.0 |rain colour = green |Jan rain mm = 99.2 |Feb rain mm = 79.1 |Mar rain mm = 99.0 |Apr rain mm = 104.1 |May rain mm = 116.1 |Jun rain mm = 130.8 |Jul rain mm = 110.2 |Aug rain mm = 131.2 |Sep rain mm = 117.2 |Oct rain mm = 112.9 |Nov rain mm = 91.8 |Dec rain mm = 135.9 |year rain mm = |source 1 = NIWA{{cite web |url = https://cliflo.niwa.co.nz/ |title = CliFlo -The National Climate Database (Agent number: 1834) |publisher = NIWA |access-date = 25 Oct 2024}}

|metric first=y |single line=y |collapsed = Y |location = Kaingaroa Village, elevation 544 m, (1981–2010 normals, extremes 1951–1999) | Jan record high C = 31.7 | Feb record high C = 30.7 | Mar record high C = 29.0 | Apr record high C = 26.2 | May record high C = 23.7 | Jun record high C = 18.3 | Jul record high C = 17.8 | Aug record high C = 17.8 | Sep record high C = 23.4 | Oct record high C = 26.7 | Nov record high C = 28.0 | Dec record high C = 29.4 | year record high C = 31.7 | Jan avg record high C = 27.1 | Feb avg record high C = 26.4 | Mar avg record high C = 23.4 | Apr avg record high C = 20.1 | May avg record high C = 17.6 | Jun avg record high C = 14.7 | Jul avg record high C = 13.3 | Aug avg record high C = 14.3 | Sep avg record high C = 16.6 | Oct avg record high C = 20.0 | Nov avg record high C = 23.2 | Dec avg record high C = 25.0 | year avg record high C = 27.8 |Jan high C = 21.6 |Feb high C = 21.6 |Mar high C = 19.6 |Apr high C = 16.5 |May high C = 13.3 |Jun high C = 10.9 |Jul high C = 10.3 |Aug high C = 11.2 |Sep high C = 13.5 |Oct high C = 15.5 |Nov high C = 18.0 |Dec high C = 20.1 | year high C = |Jan mean C = 16.1 |Feb mean C = 16.3 |Mar mean C = 14.1 |Apr mean C = 11.1 |May mean C = 8.4 |Jun mean C = 6.4 |Jul mean C = 5.7 |Aug mean C = 6.5 |Sep mean C = 8.4 |Oct mean C = 10.4 |Nov mean C = 12.4 |Dec mean C = 14.8 | year mean C = |Jan low C = 10.5 |Feb low C = 10.9 |Mar low C = 8.5 |Apr low C = 5.7 |May low C = 3.6 |Jun low C = 2.0 |Jul low C = 1.1 |Aug low C = 1.7 |Sep low C = 3.3 |Oct low C = 5.4 |Nov low C = 6.9 |Dec low C = 9.5 | year low C = | Jan avg record low C = 3.3 | Feb avg record low C = 3.9 | Mar avg record low C = -0.1 | Apr avg record low C = -2.1 | May avg record low C = -3.3 | Jun avg record low C = -4.6 | Jul avg record low C = -4.9 | Aug avg record low C = -4.7 | Sep avg record low C = -3.2 | Oct avg record low C = -0.8 | Nov avg record low C = 0.6 | Dec avg record low C = 2.8 | year avg record low C = -5.8 |Jan record low C = 0.2 |Feb record low C = 0.8 |Mar record low C = -6.0 |Apr record low C = -4.8 |May record low C = -7.0 |Jun record low C = -7.7 |Jul record low C = -9.4 |Aug record low C = -7.3 |Sep record low C = -5.6 |Oct record low C = -5.8 |Nov record low C = -1.9 |Dec record low C = -0.8 |year record low C = -9.4 |rain colour = green |Jan rain mm = 90.6 |Feb rain mm = 91.2 |Mar rain mm = 119.3 |Apr rain mm = 136.9 |May rain mm = 113.5 |Jun rain mm = 148.8 |Jul rain mm = 142.2 |Aug rain mm = 109.8 |Sep rain mm = 139.3 |Oct rain mm = 109.7 |Nov rain mm = 94.5 |Dec rain mm = 119.7 |year rain mm = |source 1 = NIWA (rain 1991–2020) |url = http://cliflo.niwa.co.nz |title = CliFlo – National Climate Database : Kaingaroa Forest |publisher = NIWA |access-date = 20 May 2024}}{{cite web |url = https://cliflo.niwa.co.nz/ |title = CliFlo -The National Climate Database (Agent number: 1819) |publisher = NIWA |access-date = 2 Aug 2024}}

|metric first=y |single line=y |collapsed = Y |location = Waimihia Forest, elevation 743 m (1961–1990 normals, extremes 1951–1989) | Jan record high C = 29.7 | Feb record high C = 28.9 | Mar record high C = 27.5 | Apr record high C = 24.6 | May record high C = 18.9 | Jun record high C = 15.6 | Jul record high C = 13.8 | Aug record high C = 15.5 | Sep record high C = 21.0 | Oct record high C = 24.3 | Nov record high C = 25.3 | Dec record high C = 28.3 | year record high C = | Jan avg record high C = 25.5 | Feb avg record high C = 25.1 | Mar avg record high C = 22.3 | Apr avg record high C = 18.9 | May avg record high C = 15.2 | Jun avg record high C = 13.1 | Jul avg record high C = 11.8 | Aug avg record high C = 12.7 | Sep avg record high C = 15.0 | Oct avg record high C = 18.7 | Nov avg record high C = 21.5 | Dec avg record high C = 23.4 | year avg record high C = 26.3 | Jan high C = 19.9 | Feb high C = 19.6 | Mar high C = 17.7 | Apr high C = 14.4 | May high C = 11.1 | Jun high C = 8.8 | Jul high C = 8.0 | Aug high C = 9.1 | Sep high C = 10.9 | Oct high C = 13.5 | Nov high C = 15.9 | Dec high C = 18.2 | year high C = | Jan mean C = 14.5 | Feb mean C = 14.4 | Mar mean C = 12.9 | Apr mean C = 9.8 | May mean C = 6.9 | Jun mean C = 5.0 | Jul mean C = 4.3 | Aug mean C = 5.0 | Sep mean C = 6.7 | Oct mean C = 8.8 | Nov mean C = 10.9 | Dec mean C = 13.1 | year mean C = | Jan low C = 9.2 | Feb low C = 9.2 | Mar low C = 8.0 | Apr low C = 5.2 | May low C = 2.7 | Jun low C = 1.1 | Jul low C = 0.5 | Aug low C = 1.0 | Sep low C = 2.5 | Oct low C = 4.1 | Nov low C = 5.9 | Dec low C = 8.0 | year low C = | Jan avg record low C = 2.0 | Feb avg record low C = 1.8 | Mar avg record low C = 0.2 | Apr avg record low C = -1.5 | May avg record low C = -3.8 | Jun avg record low C = -5.2 | Jul avg record low C = -5.3 | Aug avg record low C = -4.8 | Sep avg record low C = -3.7 | Oct avg record low C = -2.6 | Nov avg record low C = -1.5 | Dec avg record low C = 1.0 | year avg record low C = -6.2 |Jan record low C = -1.3 |Feb record low C = -2.1 |Mar record low C = -4.0 |Apr record low C = -6.7 |May record low C = -7.5 |Jun record low C = -8.0 |Jul record low C = -8.3 |Aug record low C = -8.4 |Sep record low C = -7.0 |Oct record low C = -5.0 |Nov record low C = -6.1 |Dec record low C = -3.3 |year record low C = |rain colour = green |Jan rain mm = 123 |Feb rain mm = 113 |Mar rain mm = 127 |Apr rain mm = 111 |May rain mm = 139 |Jun rain mm = 157 |Jul rain mm = 160 |Aug rain mm = 156 |Sep rain mm = 155 |Oct rain mm = 143 |Nov rain mm = 124 |Dec rain mm = 156 |year rain mm = |source 1 = NIWA{{cite web |url = https://cliflo.niwa.co.nz/ |title = CliFlo -The National Climate Database (Agent number: 1861) |publisher = NIWA |access-date = 25 Oct 2024}}

References

References

1. "Forestry – Sabie".
2. (2 August 2008). "Hell in the heartland". [[The Sunday Star-Times]].
3. (1933-03-22). "Miles of Trees – The Kaingaroa Plains". The New Zealand Herald.
4. (6 August 2019). "1000 Māori place names". New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
5. [http://www.fao.org/docrep/w3646e/w3646e09.htm ''"New Zealand forestry and the forest code of practice"'']
6. [http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/exotic-forestry/2 ''"The first planting boom, 1925–1935"'']
7. Davidson, Jared. (2023). "Blood & Dirt: Prison labour and the making of New Zealand". Bridget Williams Books.
8. (11 June 2008). "Treelord deal takes a step closer". [[National Business Review]].
9. (25 September 2008). "Largest ever Treaty deal 'Treelords' passes into law". [[The New Zealand Herald]].

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