4. (a) Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) scrub land, possibly all induced, with relics of beech/podocarp forest, or (b) Danthonia rigida tussock. The timber line at several points reaches 4,800ft, which is remarkably high compared with the average for the Ruahine Range of 4,400ft. This high timber line and the absence of Olearia colensoi (which extends to higher altitudes than any other large subalpine shrub) results in a sharp transition from forest to Danthonia flavescens tussock. Low-growing shrubs occur in the tussock community, but a subalpine scrub belt is generally absent. The lowest belt surrounds the range; Danthonia rigida tussock along the western boundary in the upper reaches of the Ngaruroro and Taruarau, manuka scrub dominant on the other three sides. The Danthonia is a succession in the recolonization of the Taupo pumice shower, but the manuka scrub is to a considerable degree, perhaps wholly, induced by burning. There is widespread evidence of recent burning, and evidence both written and visual of the invasion of manuka in several localities within European times, but there appears to be also long-established manuka along the Mohaka boundary of the range, which may link up with the evidence of pre-European fires in the Ahimanawa Range and the Taupo district. Natural Areas The present composition of the vegetation, together with the reconstruction of the former cover, divides the Kaweka into four areas from north-west to south-east, the first two being under comparatively unaltered forest, the last two having a broken cover of various forms induced by stocking and burning. Area 1. Northern Forest: silver beech present. Area 2. Central Forest: no silver beech. Area 3. Eastern and Southern Induced scrub - tussock - forest complex. Area 4. Foothills Induced scrub-fern with islands of beech or podocarp forest. Boundaries Between Areas 1 and 2. A line from Ruatakaikare Trig to Te Pukuohikarua Trig, continuing to the mouth of the Mangatainoka River. Silver beech occurs down both the Ngaruroro and Mohaka rivers below this boundary, but essentially as a colonizer of river terraces. Between Areas 2 and 3. Area 2 is roughly the original (1900) State Forest, No. 21, and its boundary with area 3 is the limit of burning on the pastoral runs—approximately south along the present timber line on the west side of the main crest to a point above Studholme's Saddle, then west to the Ngaruroro River and upstream. Between Areas 3 and 4. This boundary divides what was fern land with islands of podocarp forest or beech containing podocarps, from the high tussock land with beech forest, and is substantially an altitudinal boundary, following the 3,000ft contour. This division is not altogether satisfactory, but it enables the eastern foothills (Black Birch and Don Juan), the southern plateau (McIntosh and Blowhard) and the subsidiary ranges (Burns and Comet) to be considered as a whole. Area 1. Northern Kaweka. Forest. This is essentially an ecotone between the silver beech/red beech forest of the Northern Kaimanawa and Ahimanawa Ranges, and the mountain beech/red beech forest of the Central Kaweka Range (Map 2).