Tracks closed for kauri

Auckland: The Department of Conservation is closing 21 walking tracks around kauri land to help prevent the spread the kauri dieback disease, Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage has said.

In addition, a further 10 tracks will be partly closed and open sections will be upgraded to eliminate wet and muddy sections of track.

The closed tracks have a high risk of kauri dieback, low visitor numbers and high upgrade and maintenance costs.

Kauri dieback, a microscopic funguslike organism, can kill kauri of all ages, according to Doc.

Doc will be closing, or partly closing, tracks in Kaitaia, the Kauri Coast, Whangarei, on Aotea/Great Barrier Island, in Hauraki, Waikato and Tauranga.

The track closures are permanent and will be monitored. —