In the heart of Aotearoa New Zealand, the Kaimai Mamaku conservation park has profound history and cultural significance. The park spans approximately 37,000 hectares from the Karangahake Gorge near Paeroa in the north, to the Mamaku Plateau near Rotorua in the south. This lush expanse of native forest forms a crucial ecological transition zone and harbours a unique mix of flora and fauna found nowhere else on Earth, including rare indigenous plants and majestic mature trees, some centuries old. Here, the kererū (wood pigeon), tūi (honey eater bird) and kōkako (songbird) sing in harmony within the canopy, while the elusive Hochstetter’s frog finds refuge near pristine, shaded streams.
This sacred environment functions as a living entity, deeply connected to the indigenous Māori communities who have safeguarded and called it home for centuries.
