February 21, 2018
Climate and people speeding kauri threat spread
An export on kauri die back disease says it’s critical a rahui be enforced if the remaining kauri in the Waitakere Rangers are to have any chance of survival.
Auckland Council this week voted for total closure of tracks in the ranges, to come into effect on May 1.
Nick Waipara, the council’s principal biosecurity advisor, says previous closures of some tracks and the rahui called by mana whenua iwi Te Kawerau a Maki didn’t work because members of the public ignored signs and warnings.
He says the wet weather over summer is making the risk worse, and the organism is moving fast along the muddy tracks.
"This Phytophthora absolutely loves wet, muddy conditions because it's a water-borne mould that lives in mud and affected root zones so our environmental conditions at the moment with the warm wet weather really help this, it's like candyfloss to this organism, wet, mud, and people moving it," Dr Waipara says.
The rahui will give the council the opportunity to upgrade the tracks and where needed lay down boardwalks so the tracks can be kept dry.
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