The board's district encompasses the Waikato and Coromandel regions with 270,000 ha of public conservation land and 1,200 km of coastline. Significant features include:
- large tracts of virgin forest (Moehau, Waihaha and Waipapa)
- extensive wetlands (Whangamarino, Kopuatai)
- estuaries (Kawhia, Thames Estuary)
- rare and threatened species (kokako, Archey's frog, Mahoenui giant weta)
- reptile and seabird communities on offshore islands
- important Maori and European historic resources
- karst landscapes and ecosystems.