SOILS OF THE GISBORNE-EAST COAST DISTRICT AND THEIR PROBLEMS FOR PASTORAL USE

Abstract

The Gisborne-East Coast district consists mainly of steep hill country, with many small areas of rolling land on hilltops and strips of terrace and river flats in the valleys. The hill country extends to the coast in headlands 500 to 1,000 ft high separated by numerous valleys with steep sides. Valleys are narrow except those of large rivers, especially the Waipaoa River and associated tributaries which have formed the Gisborne Plains. The range of soils in the district is fairly small, but changes are very frequent and the pattern is complex. Both the pattern of soils and high relief of the landscape are due principally to the geological history of the East Coast, which is outlined in the following paragraphs.