The Living Network of Kauri Forests
Kauri forests like those found in Coromandel are extraordinary places. Kauri trees are an awe-inspiring taonga species, but these giants are only part of a much bigger story, according to DOC Kauri Protection Lead Tracy Mezger.
“They are at the heart of rich, interconnected forest communities made up of plants, fungi, insects, birds and microorganisms. It is no wonder Māori see the health of kauri as a sign of general wellbeing of the ngahere (forest) and people.”
Kauri forests remind us nothing in life exists in isolation. They provide unique and important habitat for many native species with some found only in kauri forests, having adapted to the unique conditions kauri create.
Beneath the forest surface lies one of the forest’s greatest secrets: fungi. Fungi are essential to forest health. They form partnerships with kauri roots, spreading far and wide and acting as an extended underground network that helps trees absorb water and nutrients.
In return, kauri share sugars made through photosynthesis. This quiet cooperation supports the entire forest. “Of the 189 fungi species found in kauri forests, 12 exist nowhere else on Earth. An amazing example of teamwork in nature,” Tracy says.
Kauri don’t just live in their environment – they shape it. Their long lives and massive size allow them to influence soil, water and climate over centuries. Their fallen leaves, rich in tannins, change soils and create specialised habitats where certain plants thrive. One of these is kōkaha, or kauri grass, which grows on the ground and in kauri canopies. Giants in their own right, these reach more than two metres in height and provide shelter for insects and berries for birds.
“Even the tiny plants have fascinating stories,” Tracy says. Delicate kauri orchids use clever traps to ensure pollination, proving that in kauri forests, nature is always working in wonderfully unexpected ways.
As we work together to protect these amazing forests from the invading PA pathogen causing dieback disease, it is much more than kauri trees we are saving. As scientists continue to look for answers to this devastating disease, our power lies in continuing to hold the line, cleaning all soil off gear and sticking to tracks in our very special kauri forests.
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