Climate, vegetation, geology, landform and soils.

Topography (edit)

Thickly forested hills of pronounced relief from sea level to lightly glaciated cirques near scrubline in the summit area of Mt Anglem (980m a.s.l.), a few prominent rock outcrops, a few small lakes, many permanent streams. Coastline to the E and S relatively sheltered: a drowned valley system of long inlets, tidal flats, beaches and rocky headlands; to the exposed W and NW the land is eroded to much steeper, higher, less indented coasts.

Modifications (edit)

Locally modified by fire and clearing especially near Halfmoon Bay, more extensively by introduced mammals including whitetail and red deer, possum; cat, black and Norway rat, kiore present; no mice or mustelids.

Geology (edit)

Paleozoic, Anglem complex, ultrabasic, basic and intermediate intrusives. Small areas of alluvium on valley floors.

Climate (edit)

Oceanic, cool temperate, humid, frequently cloudy; windy, exposed on W to prevailing W and SW winds; rainfall 1600-4000mm p.a. evenly spread; intermittent snow-lie on tops, light frosts on coasts, heavier inland.

Soils (edit)

Predominantly acid and infertile podzolised yellow-brown earths and podzols from diorite with thick dark coloured humus-rich topsoils and iron-rich B horizons; with increasing altitude, above 350m, these grade through transitional soils with thick peaty topsoils and weakly developed subsoil iron pans to subalpine blanket peats with weakly differentiated peat up to 1.5m thick, in weakly dissected uplands above 450m; moderate areas of soils from coastal sands ranging from raw sands near coast through yellowish brown soils to limited areas of podzolised sands and sand podzols further inland; alluvial soils occur on river flats and terraces - those on flats generally well drained with silty to clayey textures, those on terraces have poor drainage with pale grey silty and clayey subsoils.

Vegetation (edit)

Predominantly podocarp-hardwood forest lacking beech (rimu/kamahi forest with much southern rata) from sea level to about400m; in many places a coastal fringe of low forest and scrub with prominent Senecio reinoldii; Olearia oporina also prominent with coastal tussockland, turf and rock vegetation on exposed coasts; small areas of sand dune dominated by pingao but with marram locally common; smaller areas of saltmarsh. Above about 400m extensive scrub dominated by Olearia colensoi and/or Leptospermum scoparium. Above 800m areas of open subalpine vegetation with tussock of Chionochloa flavescens and cushions of Dracophyllum politum dominating grassland and herbfield; rock outcrops support other alpine species.

Flora (edit)

Forest, scrub, grassland flora fairly diverse but lacks Nothofagus, Phyllocladus, Libocedrus, Sophora, Pittosporum eugenioides, Melicytus ramiflorus. Endemic species include Gentiana gibbsii, Aciphyllatraillii. Species not found in adjacent districts include Archeria traversii, Coprosma pseudocuneata, Cyathodes dealbata, Raouliagrandiflora, R. tenuicaulis, Dracophyllum menziesii. Shares some RAKIURA endemics with Mt Allen district e.g. Chionochloa pungens (maybe in FIORD region also), Celmisia clavata, Abrotanella muscosa, Raoulia goyenii, Bulbinella gibsii var. gibbsii. Yellow-silver pine local; matai occurs locally in valleys. Auckland Island species Schizeilema reniforme present on Mt Anglem; Abrotanella pusilla also present here. RAKIURA region endemic Stilbocarpa lyallii very restricted, rare.

Birds (edit)

Most of this district is still forested and suports a widediversity of forest species including: Brown Kiwi (common), weka, kaka, Yellow- and Red-crowned Parakeet, Brown Creeper and robin. There is evidence that the S.I. Kokako may survive in the headwaters of the Freshwater R. Falcon (southern race) uncommon; Fernbird occur in swamp or scrub habitats; Spotless Crake present in Leask Bay. The kiwi, weka, robin and Fernbird are endemic Stewart Island subspecies. Brown Teal were present in Paterson Inlet and near Halfmoon Bay until the early 1970's and may still persist. Yellow-eyed Penguin, Southern Blue Penguin, Stewart Island Shag, and Blue Shag breed along the shore. N.Z. Dotterel occur along the coast and breed on the mountain tops.

Reptiles (edit)

Population of unusually marked "Leiolopisma nigriplantare" skinks on top of Mt Anglem requires further study.