Milford Sound Flora

Flora & Forests

Forests cover most of Fiordland National Park. The predominant trees are Red Beech (Nothofagus fusca), Silver Beech (Nothofagus menziesii) and Mountain Beech (Nothofagus solandri).

Podocarp forests are also present at low altitude, in less steep locations with deeper soils, and in particular the western or Tasman Sea side of Fiordland, such as valleys at the head of fiords. The most common of these species are rimu, miro, and Hall's totara which make up the canopy with many shrubs, ferns, tree ferns and epiphytes making up a dense understory.

This contrasts quite markedly with the relative openness of the understory found in the beech forests, which tend to be almost monotypic. At about 900-1000m the trees give way to hardy squat alpine vegetation and tussocks. 35 species are endemic to Fiordland, most of them above the treeline.

Tree Avalanches

On the steeper slopes such as those surrounding Milford Sound, very little soil is found and the vegetation in these areas is held together by a mat of intertwined roots.

Occasionally tree avalanches occur when heavy vegetation clinging to the steep and rocky valley walls gives way under the impact of heavy rain. This usually occurs after a prolonged dry spell that has caused the thin soils and rock to crumble and root masses to loosen.

It takes about 70 years for the forest to regenerate to full maturity making these forests the world fastest regenerating rain forests.