Kauri track worry

A community group has accused authorities of not doing enough to save under-threat kauri in the Waita¯ kere Ranges, after a month-long audit by its volunteers found apparent shortcomings. A recent survey showed the tree-killing kauri dieback disease had spread to around 20 per cent of kauri in a decade. Waita¯ kere Ra¯ hui Team volunteers found 14 tracks were not clearly either open or closed, and had no signage or fencing. The majority of open tracks had no signage, no cleaning station or a very old one. Council regional parks manager Rachel Kelleher said the audit appeared to have covered a broader area than the controlled area notice applied to.