Title: Discovered: The Eerie Beauty of Clouded-in Beech Forest in Mt Matthews, New Zealand
Introduction:
For millions of years, the beech forest in Mt Matthews, located in the Remutaka Range, New Zealand, has been shrouded in a perpetual veil of mist, keeping its secrets hidden from the outside world. In rare moments, when the clouds dissipate, the forest reveals itself as a mystical realm, transformed by the soft, diffused light, rendering it a photographer’s haven. In this article, we invite you to explore the enchanting phenomenon of a clouded-in beech forest on Mt Matthews, a rarely-seen wonder of New Zealand.
The Setting:
Mt Matthews lies within the Remutaka Ranges, a mountainous region straddling the North Island, an area known for its lush forests and waterways. The beech forests found here are a unique entity within the country’s biodiversity, with over 90% of the world’s estimated podocarp species living exclusively in New Zealand. The canopy-covered slopes of Mt Matthews stand proud, with towering beeches, their gnarled, rust-colored trunks stretching up to 30 meters in height, creating an extraordinary landscape.
The Cloudiness Factor:
The peculiar situation surrounding Mt Matthews’ forest ecosystem owes its existence to the Pacific Ring of Fire, which has, for millions of years, generated dense rain clouds, resulting in permanent cloud cover. This phenomenon makes this region one of the rare, cloud-covered areas outside the realm of tropical rainforests. Local environmental conditions, such as the cooling trade winds and the mountain range itself, contribute to the persistent cloud bank surrounding the area.
The Photos: