The Wielangta forest is part of remnant glacial refugia forest and contains blue gum eucalypt forest and pockets of cool temperate rainforest. The forest is a key habitat of rare and threatened species, including the Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle, swift parrot, Wielangta stag beetle, spotted-tail quoll and eastern barred bandicoot. A rare orchid (Genoplesium nudum) has also been discovered in the forest. The forest forms part of the South-east Tasmania Important Bird Area, identified as such by BirdLife International because of its importance in the conservation of a range of woodland birds. The forest is under the control of Forestry Tasmania, with logging being allowed. The logging of the forest has been contentious due to the impact on rare and threatened species. Environmentalists called for the Wielangta forest area to be incorporated into a broader reserve offering full protection to environmental and biodiversity values. Some parts of Wielangta were granted formal protection in the recent Supplementary Regional Forest Agreement (Tasmania). It is notable for its role in a 2006 court case that called into question the effectiveness of Australia's cooperative Commonwealth-State forest management regime known as Regional Forest Agreements.
Three Thumbs Reserve, close to the Orford end, offers picnic tables and a newly built shelter along with magnificent views of the coast with information/interpretation boards.
About halfway between Copping and Orford in the heart of the Wielangta Forest, the Sandspit Forest Reserve picnic area provides a great stopping point for a picnic in one of the two stone shelters. Wielangta walk is a 2 hour return walk that follows the route of an abandoned tramway to the remnants of the old timber milling township of Wielangta. The mill operated from 1911 to 1924, with cut timber carted on trams down the coast to Rheban where it was loaded onto a jetty and shipped off. There are toilets, picnic tables and a fire place here but no BBQs anymore. There is no mobile phone reception.
