In 1970
Waipoua Preservation Society, local artist,
Rei Hamon, and
Forest & Bird's Auckland Branch campaigned to protect the
kauri being felled in the northern headwaters of the river. As a result, in February 1971, the Minister of Forests
Duncan MacIntyre announced the end of all kauri milling at Manaia and the protection of a forest sanctuary. The Manaia Forest Sanctuary has over 400 kauri trees and 129 species of plant have been identified. It is the only remaining stand of mature mid altitude kauri in Coromandel, with trees up to 2,500 years old. Species in the Sanctuary include
Coromandel striped gecko (toropuku),
Hochstetter’s and
Archey’s frogs,
forest ringlet butterfly (pepe pouri),
painted cave weta,
longfin eel (tuna),
kokopu,
kākā,
North Island brown kiwi,
kererū,
tūī,
korimako,
pīwakawaka,
miromiro,
silvereye,
riroriro,
kōtare,
ruru and
pīpīwharauroa. ==See also==