The steep forested Mt Messenger Conservation Area is a mixture of coastal forest, kahikatea swamp, tawa/kamahi interspersed with hard beech forest. It is home to kiwi, paua slug (Schizoglossa), scrub beetle (Odontria veluntina) and the hebe townsonii.

The Wai Pingao catchment contains the best remaining example of native coastal broadleaf forest, podocarp forest and shrubland on the west coast of the North Island.