Local Maori and conservationists have declared the Waitakere Ranges Regional Park closed in a bid to stop the spread of kauri dieback disease.
Hundreds of giant kauri in the Waitakere Ranges are dying after at least 20 per cent of the trees in the forest have been diagnosed with the disease.
Edward Ashby of the Te Kawerau Iwi Tribunal Authority says the unofficial closure of the park is a peaceful one which he hopes visitors will respect.
"The rahui is to put a restriction around the forest, but more importantly, it is to send a message to the community to help us," Mr Ashby says.
"It's a matter of te kanga – it's a spiritual matter – as much as a, if you will, taping off of an area."
In an emotional ceremony today, a rahui was placed on the area to stop public access.
Mels Barten is an environmental scientist with The Tree Council who says the ecology of the forest is at a "tipping point".
"We have no other choice now. We have to keep people out of the forest because it's the people that's spreading the disease," Ms Barten says.
The mayor has proposed extra funding to help tackle the spread of the disease.
The council will also meet next week to consider how to manage the problem, including closing down all medium and high risk tracks or the official closure of the entire park.
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