Father of the Forest

Te Matua Ngahere is a giant kauri coniferous tree in the Waipoua Forest of Northland Region, New Zealand. The tree's Māori name means "Father of the Forest". Although not as massive or tall as its neighbour Tāne Mahuta, Te Matua Ngahere is stouter, with a girth just over 16 metres. It is believed to be the second largest living kauri tree, and to have the biggest girth of any kauri in the country. According to The New Zealand Herald, it has the biggest girth of any tree in New Zealand.

As there is no means of reliably measuring the tree's age, it has been variously estimated to be between 1,200 and 2,000 years old; or between 2,000 and 3,000 years old; or even 4,000 years old. One resource, published by National Geographic Books, claims that Te Matua Ngahere may be the oldest tree in New Zealand, while another suggests that it is the oldest rainforest tree on Earth.