Kauri Protection
Kaipātiki is home to many kauri trees that live in reserves, on properties or in other urban areas. Kauri (Agathis australis) are an ancient and precious keystone species that shape forest ecosystems and in the past covered much of Aotearoa’s upper North Island.
For some iwi kauri represent Tāne, the god of the forests, who separated his parents Ranginui and Papatūānuku to bring Te Ao Mārama. The health kauri also represents the health of the forest and people.
Kauri roots, tall trunks and thick branches span between the earth and the sky, they support the forest by sheltering and creating a home for their associate species. Kauri are one the largest and longest lived tree species in the world, they can live for over 1000 years. Kauri are ecosystem engineers, changing the environment around them by reducing soil nutrients.
This pages outlines the basics of kauri protection and how PFK are working to protect our local kauri trees. Use the quick links below to go to your section of interest.
Why do we need to protect kauri?
Tane Mahuta. Source: iNaturalist, Kaakahu1991, CC-by-NC 4.0
In the past, the main threat to kauri was logging for timber which resulted in only 1% of kauri forests remaining today. Now, kauri face another threat. In 2008 a novel threat to kauri was identified: the pathogen Phytophthora agathidicida, which causes kauri dieback disease. Since its identification, various groups including iwi, researchers, and community and government organisations have worked together to understand and mitigate the impacts of kauri dieback.
Kauri dieback is a disease that stops kauri trees from being able to take up nutrients from the soil, leading to the loss of leaves, branches, and eventual death. The pathogen lives in soil and water, and has two types of spores, zoospores and oospores. While the zoospores can be killed by disinfectants, the oospores can survive and remain dormant in soil for over 10 years. Other plants can carry kauri dieback, but kauri are the most detrimentally affected.
Kauri dieback was found in Kaipātiki in 2018, leading to the closure of two affected local reserves (Kauri Park and Muriel Fisher Reserve), and the implementation of preventative measures. This included the closure of higher-risk tracks, and the installation of numerous shoe cleaning stations throughout the community.
How do I recognise kauri dieback?
It may take years for kauri to show obvious symptoms of infection, so it is important to act as if all kauri, and areas with kauri, already have the pathogen present.
Common kauri dieback symptoms are gum bleeding, yellowing leaves, and canopy thinning. These symptoms can also be caused by other factors, so may not always indicate kauri dieback infection. However it is always best practice to always be cautions.
If you see a sick kauri tree in Kaipātiki or elsewhere, you can report it to the local council.
Kauri Dieback Symptoms
Gum Bleeding
Lesions may be found at the base of trunks, with white, opaque gum. Normal tree gum is clearer and more amber in colour.
Source: Tiakina Kauri licensed by MPI for re-use under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence
What can we do?
We can protect kauri through individual actions, when visiting reserves, working in the garden, or volunteering. This is why we encourage members of the Kaipātiki community and beyond to learn about kauri dieback; help to educate their friends and whānau, and take action to help stop the spread of this devastating disease.
Keep on reading to learn more about what Pest Free Kaipātiki's kauri protection work and how you can contribute to kauri protection.
Community
Being part of the local community in Kaipātiki, you can help protect kauri by using cleaning stations correctly, and following the scrub, spray and stay (on tracks) guidelines. This includes respecting track closures and rāhui in place. You can visit this site to check Auckland track closures for kauri protection. You can also join one of PFK’s Plant Pathogen Training Programs to increase your knowledge of kauri protection.
What does PFK do?
To raise awareness in the Kaipātiki community about kauri dieback, our PFK School Engagement team member visits local classrooms to teach kids about kauri protection and the importance of kauri trees and their ecosystem. We also visit community events and talk to visitors about kauri protection and kauri dieback mitigation. Our guided walks through Kauri Glen are a great way to learn about kauri while walking through the ngahere.
Additionally, we are developing an online version of our Kauri Protection Workshop, which you can join here.
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Volunteers
As people potentially working in reserves or areas with kauri, volunteers are encouraged to take part in a Plant Pathogen Training Program run by PFK.
These trainings include detailed descriptions of the disease, it's ecology, and the Auckland Council Standard Operation Procedure for working in kauri areas. Keep an eye out on our newsletter and social media for upcoming workshop dates.
Additional certification from Auckland Council is needed for volunteer work in high-risk areas.
Land-Owners
People with kauri on their property are advised to implement their own kauri protection procedures to mitigate the spread of kauri dieback to or from their property. Kauri dieback and the movement of kauri plant material a restricted pest under the Regional Pest Management Plan.
Some key things to think about are:
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Try to stay away from kauri trees, especially if working with soil.
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Consider those who visit your property and make them aware of kauri protection precautions. This includes family, friends or contractors.
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Consider the movement of water on your property.
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Consider the movement of soil within, to and from your property.
For more information see Tiakina Kauri’s land-owner advice.
Kauri Rescue:
PFK has established an agreement to work alongside Kauri Rescue, a non-profit organisation that works with homeowners to protect their kauri. They monitor trees and provide phosphate treatment to slow the effects of kauri dieback.
Phosphate treatment is known to reduce kauri dieback symptoms and reduce the pathogen in the tree roots and surrounding soil.
For more information and additional resources for landowners see the Kauri Rescue site.
Kauri Dieback Management Plan
You may be interested in developing a Management Plan for your home or reserve group. PFK has developed a tutorial to assist you with this process. Working through the tutorial will help you understand the level of detail needed in your plan.
Kauri Dieback Management Plans are proposals made by reserve groups outlining how they will work in reserves at risk of kauri dieback. The plan allows Auckland Council to know where and how you will be operating in the designated reserve, in order to gain approval. The plan you create will be unique to your reserve.
Click here for the mapping tutorial, using Auckland Council’s GeoMaps software. Regardless of how you create your maps, be they hand drawn or using ArcGIS or Google Maps, the required components are the same.
You may want to have Council’s Standard Operating Procedure open as you work through the tutorial: 2021 Standard Operating Procedures for Kauri Dieback Mitigation.
Resources
FAQ
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What is the correct order to use the cleaning stations?
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The correct order is Scrub (remove all visible dirt), Spray (spray shoes and equiptment with a disinfectant) and Stay on the tracks.
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Re-brushing shoes after spraying may result in soil being transferred back onto the shoes.
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Why should I stay on the tracks?
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Staying on tracks reduces the movement of soil into or out of a forest. It also protects sensitive kauri roots, and helps you not get lost.
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Is Sterigene safe to use?
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Sterigene is a mild disinfectant, chosen for it's ability to kill kauri dieback zoospores while being less harmful to the environment that stronger products. The disinfectant is much weaker than household cleaning products or sanitisers. This being said it is best to avoid direct contact with skin, and to remember that spraying is only one part of kauri hygiene, you must also remove all visible soil from footware and equiptment.
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Can I use Sterigene on my dog's paws?
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We do not recommend using sterigene on dog's paws. Instead, you can clean their paws with water and dog friendly soap before and after you go for a walk. Make sure to keep them on track as well to reduce the movement of soil.
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What do I do if a cleaning station is broken?
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If you find a broken cleaning station you can report it to Auckland Council here. If you are going for a walk, make sure to still brush and spray your shoes if possible, this may mean using the opposite spray gun or pressure pad.
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Where can I find more information on kauri protection?
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For a comprehensive source of information on kauri protection, see the Tiakina Kauri website. This includes resources, research and advice for different activities around kauri.
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