Looking westwards over the south coast and southern ocean from the cliff top access route above Westies Hut.br/br/The Waitutu Forest in Southland is a beautiful expanse of native lowland forest, stretching from the shoreline of the southern coast up into the mountains of Fiordland. A diverse range of plant and animal species envelop over 500 square km of misty ridges and valleys. br/br/Ancient marine terraces today are clothed in dense mixed podocarp and beech forest. This area was once threatened by logging but is now protected and will remain a valuable wilderness into the future. Dr David Bellamy once described the Waitutu forest as “probably the most important forest in the world”. The forest contains rimu, beech, miro, totara and southern rata, also kamahi, lancewood, ferns, orchids, etc. It provides safe haven for kereru, tui, kaka, bellbird, and many other native species.