Tāne Mahuta
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tāne Mahuta is a giant kauri tree in the Waipoua Forest of Northland Region, New Zealand.
The tree's Māori name means "Lord of the Forest" (see Tāne), and is the name of a god in the Māori pantheon. Tāne Mahuta is the most massive kauri known to stand today. It is 51 metres (169 feet) in height, and has a circumference of 13.8 metres (45 feet). There is no proof of the tree's age, but it is estimated to be between 1250 and 2500 years old. The tree is a remnant of the ancient subtropical rain forest that once grew on the North Auckland Peninsula. Other giant kauri stand nearby, notably Te Matua Ngahere.
The kauri tree is now a protected species. All logging has been made illegal on New Zealand land owned by the Crown. Today, kauri wood comes from 'swamp kauri' dug up from beneath ancient swamps. These swamps have been mostly drained to make way for farmland.
