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Story: Southern beech forest

Even-aged beeches

Video file

After the destruction of mature beech forest there is often vigorous regeneration. Dense, even-aged stands develop, with up to 10,000 trees per hectare. Over the years many of the trees die, until 250–300 trees per hectare remain. In this video clip members of the 1946–55 National Forest Survey are working in two South island stands of even-aged beech.

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Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Reference: Beech Foresters. National Film Unit, 1951

Permission of Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga must be obtained before any re-use of this material.

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How to cite this page

Joanna Orwin, Southern beech forest – Ecology, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/video/13318/even-aged-beeches (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Joanna Orwin, published 1 March 2009.