The Eastern Volcanic Plateau eco-region has two distinct districts. The Kaingaroa district is an undissected ignimbrite plateau, once covered in tussockland but now largely a landscape of exotic forests with limited remnants of its original vegetation. The Whirinaki district, in contrast, is a dissected region of ignimbrite and greywacke, which is almost entirely covered in indigenous rimu, podocarp, and beech forests. It is a critical habitat for native birds and mammals, and features unique 'frost flat' vegetation.