Nelson

The Nelson eco-region comprises four districts each with a distinct character. The Motueka district, with its low-lying plains and estuaries, has been largely cleared for farming, but its coastal areas remain important. The Moutere district is a region of rolling hills now a mosaic of farms, exotic plantations, and remnant beech forests. The Bryant district is a complex area of steep, hilly terrain with unique ultramafic geology and a mix of beech and podocarp forests, scrublands, and tussocklands. The Red Hills district is an elevated zone of ultramafic rock with low-fertility, toxic soils, which supports a distinct population of red tussock and several endemic plant species.