Waitakere track closures
What you need to know
More than a dozen tracks in the Waitakere Ranges Regional Park are closing immediately to protect kauri trees from a deadly infection. Auckland City councillors voted yesterday to support Te Kawerau a Maki’s rahui across the 16,000ha ranges park in a bid to contain the spread of kauri dieback disease.
A lengthy debate that resulted in the decision to expand track closures noted the high importance of the protection of the Waitakere Ranges — the most heavily diseased area in New Zealand — and to work with the iwi on protection measures.
The 24 tracks were considered to be at high and medium risk.
A monitoring report showed the infection had jumped from 8 per cent to 19 per cent in five years, concentrated around where people walked.
Mayor Phil Goff and most councillors did not support full closure of the Ranges. Instead, the council was looking at a range of options, including closing some tracks and rebuilding others with boardwalks.
“The option that we have chosen closes high-risk areas within the park, puts our current resources into the maintenance of tracks and is a practical approach that will really make a difference on the ground.”
Goff said the kauri tree was a symbol of New Zealand’s native forest and the council needed to do everything to ensure it survived.
Aucklanders would have the opportunity next year to consider what funding from the 10-year Budget they wanted to allocate to environmental protection, including the management of kauri dieback.
There had been concerns the closures could put a stop to events like the annual Hillary Trail Marathon, which was scheduled to take place in February.
While organiser Shaun Collins said the newly announced restrictions didn’t affect the course, whether the race would go ahead was yet to be determined.
Iwi executive manager Edward Ashby acknowledged there was no statutory power to enforce the rahui, but hoped people would respect it.
Iwi members had set up signs around the park.