Kauri trees are limited to the Northland region of the North Island of NZ. This region has warm summers and wet winters. Kauri forests typically exhibit acidic soil due to kauri litter, and are very unique ecosystems. Click image for full size.

Named after the Māori god of forests, Tāne Mahuta is the largest known kauri tree, and one of the largest trees on Earth by volume. It is a demonstration of kauri's ability to live for several hundred years, grow over 40 meters tall and have a trunk diameter of over 5 meters. Tāne Mahuta is believed to be between 1,000 and 2,000 years old.

Kauri trees yield a strong, lightweight, and beautiful wood. As discussed on the Threats page, this led to kauri becoming excessively logged by European settlers in the 19th Century. Currently, kauri wood can be harvested from preserved, fallen kauri in swamps of New Zealand, often turned into gifts or works of art. Photo Source: kaurigifts.co.nz