The Taranaki Ecological Region features two key ecological districts. North Taranaki is a vast, historically forested hill country with diverse forest types, coastal areas, estuaries, and wetlands, marking the southern limit for plants like pōhutukawa and karo. Further inland, the Matemateaonga Ecological District, the North Island's largest, is a steep, hilly area with extensive, nationally important lowland rainforests, critical for native wildlife. The Whanganui National Park and its river are particularly notable within this sparsely settled district.