The Waioeka and Motu ecological districts form part of the rugged Raukūmara ranges, each with its own character. Waioeka is dominated by steep greywacke valleys and podocarp–beech forests, with rare species such as Hochstetter’s frog and lesser short-tailed bat, while Motu rises dramatically from coastal terraces to Mt Hikurangi. Here, coastal forest of pōhutukawa and puriri gives way to extensive beech and podocarp forests, and even alpine vegetation on the tops. Both districts receive heavy rainfall and support taonga species such as kiwi, blue duck, falcon and fernbird, though clearance, farmland and exotic forestry have modified parts of the landscape.