Westland temperate rainforests

The Westland temperate forests are located along the central west coast of New Zealand’s South Island, also known as Te Waipounamou. These forests are found in the region of the Westland District, which spans approximately 11,880 square kilometers. Much of this area is protected by the Westland Tai Poutini National Park. The Franz Josef and Fox glaciers are included in this area. To the west of New Zealand lies the Tasman Sea, to the east is the Pacific Ocean.

New Zealand comprises two separate islands located in the Southern Hemisphere, commonly referred to as the North Island and the South Island. The Westland rainforests are located along the central west coast portion of the South Island. South of these forests lay the Fiordland temperate forests. Many glaciers are located in the Westland area. The Southern Alps run along the coast causing orographic lifting and high precipitation.

Large portions of New Zealand have been protected for conservation purposes, especially in this region. This area has high biodiversity of plants and animals. Due to its remote location New Zealand was one of the last areas to be colonized and was primarily inhabited by the Māori until Europeans arrived in the 1600s.

New Zealand is entirely in the temperate zone. The Westland forests receive high amounts of precipitation, reaching approximately 3,000 millimeters annually on the coast, about 4,700 millimeters at the Franz Josef and Fox glaciers, and exceeding 11,000 millimeters on the mountains where precipitation generally arrives in the form of snowfall. It is due to the mountain ranges and orographic lifting that the Westland area sees so much precipitation. Westland’s coastal location means that its weather is more moderate than areas further inland. Much of the weather is caused by eastward-moving anticyclones. Summer temperatures average around 20 °C with highs around 30 °C. Snow is rare in the lowland areas but prominent at higher elevations, especially around local glaciers.

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