New Zealand Books > NZ Natural History

Philip Andrews has a keen interest in local history, geology, archaeology and collecting old books and ephemera. In this, his seventh book, he tells the eventful history of Ngongotaha township, district and mountain: its geology, Maori settlement and legend, dairy factory and mills, farming and schooling, sports and community organisations. The book is illustrated with over 150 photographs, together with maps, plans and cartoons.

New Zealand's native trees are truly remarkable. From the massive kauri - the third-largest tree in the world - the showy pohutukawa and rata, and the ubiquitous cabbage tree to rare and endangered species found only on offshore islands, our glorious and diverse trees deserve to be recognised, understood and celebrated. New Zealand's Native Trees is a landmark book that describes and generously illustrates more than 250 species. Beginning with the magnificent conifers and iconic tree ferns, and giving full treatment to the numerous... read more

The story of two gardens on the pioneering properties built by John Cooper and Samual Dawson near Ekatahuna in the Wairarapa.

New Zealands native trees are truly remarkable. From the massive kauri ??? the third-largest tree in the world ??? the showy pohutukawas and ratas, and the ubiquitous cabbage tree to rare and endangered species found only on offshore islands, our glorious and diverse trees deserve to be recognised, understood and celebrated. NEW ZEALANDS NATIVE TREES is a landmark book that describes and generously illustrates more than 250 species. Beginning with the magnificent conifers and iconic tree ferns, and giving full treatment to the nume... read more

This detailed geographical map and authoritative text descibe and illustrate the volcanic geology of one of the world's most active rhyolite caldera volcanoes. The map covers the area between Rotorua, Waiotapu and Kawerau, including all of the Okataina Volcanic Centre and part of Rotorua Caldera. The volcanic centre's stratigraphy, structures, volcanic history, hazards, geothermal resources and drainage are all summarised in the text. The Okataina centre is still active, having erupted over 800 cubic kilometres of molten rock in 11... read more

This is a new kind of tree book, not a guide to species or simply a photographic study, it is a collection of individual portraits of the most remarkable trees in New Zealand. Mysterious and awe-inspiring, these mighty and often sacred trees have fascinating lives and histories - many have been around for hundreds of years, some for thousands. From the 800-year-old pohutukawa that stands at 'the place of leaping' at Cape Reinga to the windswept macrocarpa at Slope Point, Trees of New Zealand covers not only our oldest and largest t... read more

"Looks at Māori myths and landforms; power of ignimbrite eruptions; early geological exploration; past discoveries of moa, mosasaur and other fossils; the man who made artificial geysers; Rotorua’s great bores versus geysers controversy; and geology in verse"--Back cover

The essential guide to identifying every species of bird you may see in this area, for both tourists and wildlife enthusiasts. Featuring over 750 species, Birds of New Zealand, Hawaii, Central and West Pacific is the only field guide to illustrate and describe every species of bird you may see in the area, from Australia, New Zealand and New Guinea to Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. * Text gives information on key identification features, habitat, and songs and calls * All plumages for each species are illustrated, includi... read more

This new re-written edition of the best-selling New Zealand classic Which Native Tree? now includes comprehensive ecological information on the tree and its environment. As well as the known uses of each tree, from food and medicine, to dyes, perfume, honey, bootlaces, fire-making and timber it also explains how to grow each tree in your own garden. It also identifies the insect and bird life to look for in each tree and includes details on the origins of Maori names. Use Andrew Crowe's unique leaf key to confidently identify commo... read more

A comprehensive taxonomic guide to the flora of the New Zealand botanical region. This volume describes the introduced wild plants belonging to the rush, sedge, lily, iris, arum and related families, but excluding grasses.

Flora of New Zealand Volume V: Grasses is the first fully integrated Flora in the series, covering both native and naturalised grasses, and completes the vascular Flora of New Zealand. Included are formal nomenclature, descriptions, distributions records, ecological information, and keys to genera of about 400 species. It also features excellent line drawings by Sabrina Malcolm and colour illustrations by Keith West, with photographs by Peter Johnson. Grasses are everywhere in New Zealand: on hillsides and roadsides; on cliffs ... read more

This beautiful photographic guide is the ideal companion for travelling birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts alike. Featuring over 300 species of bird most likely to be seen in New Zealand, it is the only guide that anyone travelling to this fascinating region of the world will need. * Illustrated with over 600 full-colour photographs and featuring detailed species descriptions and distribution maps. Includes key information on national parks helps readers to find the best spots to discover each bird; includes useful informat... read more

The culmination of the life's work of one of our mosdt respected scientists, this is the definitive guide to our unique and varied coast. With over 380 diagrams and illustrations, and descriptions of the major coastal environments of the wider Pacific region, this is a vital text for undergraduate study and an essential tool for shore ecology, conservation and management.

From kakapo and kiwi to penguins and albatrosses, New Zealand is host to a spectacular range of birds. This guide is an authoritative and easy-to-grasp introduction to over 80 of New Zealand’s best-known bird species. Though free of birding jargon and extraneous information, the text is lucid and packed with all the key facts on appearance, call, behaviour and nesting details that will enable the layperson to identify the species they see around them, from the backyard to the bush, beach and mountain. Each entry is accom... read more

Drawing on more than 70 years' worth of study in the field - representing literally thousands of hours spent poised behind a 300mm lens - Forest Birds by Geoff Moon presents a visual and written portrait of the most important or characteristic birds of the New Zealand forest. Arranged in taxonomic order, these total nearly 30 species, among them some of the country's best-loved birds such as the bellbird, fantail, kingfisher, kiwi, kokako, morepork, tomtit, kakariki, saddleback, stitchbird and tui. Enriching the photography are Geo... read more

In this text, fact-filled descriptions highlighting key identification features of New Zealand trees are supported by distribution maps and colour photographs of over 100 species. Compact and easy to use, this text should appeal to those interested in natural history.

ENVIRONMENT Category Winner Adrift in the South Pacific Ocean, separated from the rest of the world by vast distances and blessed with some of the most varied and spectacular natural landscapes on Earth, New Zealand is rather special. Generations of geoscientists have developed an increasing understanding of what makes New Zealand geologically unique and why. Highlights of this research, including many discoveries of global significance, are presented in this book. A Continent on the Move explains what makes New Zealand tick geolog... read more