E ako mea mō tō rohe

Learn about your area

Auckland's natural environment is the foundation of our rich cultural heritage and economy. Explore the diverse ecosystems, flora and fauna of Tāmaki Makaurau.

Select a location

Select a type of area

Biodiversity Focus Area

Albany Scenic Reserve wetland

Albany Scenic Reserve has one of the largest remaining examples of mānuka-dominated gumland in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland. A diverse plant community is found within this biodiversity focus area, including native orchids.

Size: 13 hectares

Biodiversity Focus Area

Ambury Regional Park

Ambury is one of the few mainland sites in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland where you will find the ecosystem oioi-coastal needle grass on saline margins of lava flows (SA1.7).

Size: 0.6 hectares

Biodiversity Focus Area

Ark in the Park

Ark in the Park is an important conservation project in the Waitākere Ranges that protects remnant kauri forest and a number of threatened species including reintroduced native birds.

Size: 1843 hectares

Biodiversity Focus Area

Āwhitu Regional Park Wetlands

The coastal wetlands at Āwhitu Regional Park are some of the most significant wetland and saltmarsh areas on the Manukau Harbour and provide important habitat to a number of native species.

Size: 46 hectares

Biodiversity Focus Area

Bethells Dunes

There is an extensive area of vegetated and mobile sand dunes at Te Henga / Bethells beach. The inland part of the dune system created Lake Wainamu - a dune impounded lake.

Size: 90 hectares

Biodiversity Focus Area

Five Mile Strip

Located in Muriwai Regional Park, this extensive duneland biodiversity focus area provides important habitat for a number of threatened species.

Size: 197 hectares

Biodiversity Focus Area

Gittos Domain

Gittos Domain contains examples of forest and gumland ecosystems in Blockhouse Bay. It provides habitat for rare gumland vegetation including native orchids.

Size: 15 hectares

Biodiversity Focus Area

Hochstetter Pond

Hochstetter Pond is a volcanic depression in an Auckland Council reserve in Ōnehunga, in which a Machaerina sedgeland wetland has formed. It is a site of ecological and geological significance.

Size: 6.2 hectares

Biodiversity Focus Area

Huia

The Huia biodiversity focus area is within the Waitākere Ranges Regional Park. It includes good examples of kauri forest and kauri, podocarp, broadleaved forest. Several significant geological features make this a unique area.

Size: 2555 hectares

Biodiversity Focus Area

Hunua Falls

Hunua Falls is a site of ecological and geological importance on the Wairoa River. Here you can find an example of lakeshore turf, of which few sites remain in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland.

Size: 0.1 hectare

Biodiversity Focus Area

Karekare Dunes

The active sand dunes at Karekare are a good example of spinifex, pīngao grassland or sedgeland (DN2) - an endangered dune ecosystem in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland. The dunes are mostly surrounded by a forested catchment.

Size: 15 hectares

Biodiversity Focus Area

Karekare Stream

The Karekare Stream biodiversity focus area features a good example of an oioi, restiad rushland and reedland ecosystem on the coastline of the Waitākere Ranges Regional Park.

Size: 0.8 hectares

Biodiversity Focus Area

Kaukapakapa Estuary Scientific Reserve

Kaukapakapa Estuary Scientific Reserve , north of Helensville, includes an extensive area of forest from kauri, podocarp, broadleaved forest on the ridges and slopes grading to kahikatea forest on the floodplain alongside the Kaukapakapa river.

Size: 395 hectares

Biodiversity Focus Area

Kauri Bay Shell Barriers

Kauri Bay near Clevedon contains examples of the naturally rare shell barrier beach ecosystem. This area provides important habitat for native shorebirds.

Size: 7.4 hectares

Biodiversity Focus Area

KMA-Piggots

KMA-Piggots consists of a variety of forest, successional and cliff ecosystems located in the Hunua Ranges. Populations of forest birds, bats and frogs are recovering thanks to intensive pest control.

Size: 3430 hectares

Biodiversity Focus Area

Lake Rototoa – Te Rau Pūriri

The Lake Rototoa – Te Rau Pūriri biodiversity focus area includes the largest and deepest dune lake and the largest dune forest remnant on the South Head peninsula.

Size: 734 hectares

Biodiversity Focus Area

Lake Wainamu

Lake Wainamu is the largest natural lake in the Waitākere Ranges. The wetlands surrounding the lake provide habitat for secretive wetland birds such as matuku hūrepo (bittern) and mātātā (fernbird).

Size: 3.39 hectares

Biodiversity Focus Area

Waimanawa/Little Shoal Bay

Waimanawa/Little Shoal Bay Reserve has examples of both forest and wetland ecosystems. Situated on Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland's North Shore, it provides an important habitat for threatened native plants and birds.

Size: 29 hectares

Biodiversity Focus Area

Manukapua Island and Okahukura Sequence

Manukapua Island and the surrounding coastline at the Tapora peninsula includes a variety of ecosystems. It is an important area for shorebirds and wetland birds.

Size: 1381 hectares

Biodiversity Focus Area

Manukau Domain

Manukau Domain is an Auckland Council reserve on the northern edge of the Manukau Harbour. The main ecosystems here are regenerating kānuka scrub and coastal forest.

Size: 4.5 hectares
load more areas