DESKTOP 1454 - FIORDLAND, NZ

The Fiordland national park forest in the Kepler Mountains, is close to Te Anau in New Zealand's South Island. This wild forest includes ancient podocarp trees. Podocarp trees have been around since the time of Gondwana Land, before continents separated. This includes the giant Rimu tree, which grows to up to 50 metres.

You can literally walk into this forest (on the Kepler Great Walk track) from Te Anau town, or catch a Tracknet bus. Manapouri borders equally impressive Fiordland national park forest, including the giant fuchsia trees, the largest fuchsia in the world, in the remote Back Valley. Also look out for beautiful manuka groves (of honey fame) and a great selection of ferns.

These forests are also home to an amazing array of mosses and lichens, growing on the ground in big soft beds, or covering trees. These diversely-coloured and shaped mosses and lichens are a great indication of the cleanliness of Fiordland's air.

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme,
and also part of the My Sunday Photo meme,
and also part of the Photo Sunday meme.