'This pathogen is weakening the forest' - next step in fighting Auckland's kauri dieback disease to be decided

There is a proposal to close the Waitakere Ranges, which has seen 20 per cent of its kauri trees infected with the disease.

A representative of 113 businesses in Auckland's Waitakere Ranges area says owners would be adversely affected by the complete closure of all bush tracks due to kauri dieback.

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Members of Waitakere Ranges Local Board have brought young kauri trees with them to this morning's council meeting that will decide the next step in fighting the problem.

Members of Waitakere Ranges Local Board brought young kauri trees with them to this morning's council meeting.

The Waitakare Ranges have seen 20 per cent of its kauri trees infected with the disease.

There is no cure for kauri dieback and no evidence that kauri have any natural resistance to the disease.

The Environment and Community Committee of the Auckland Council will today sign off one of five options to stop the spread of the dieback disease killing native kauri in the Waitakere Ranges.

Representative of the businesses, Pip Mandis, told the Environment and Community Committee meeting "tour operators will have to close or be dramatically compromised".

"Food and beverage outlets rely on visitors for 50 per cent of their income while accommodation operators report up to 60 per cent of visitors are trampers."

Ms Mandis said a number of businesses were reliant on tourism generated by the Waitakere Ranges including hospitality, arts and culture, forest tours, guiding and accommodation operators.

The plea that business interests be considered in conjunction with stopping the spread of kauri dieback disease came after a number of calls for the ranges to be completely closed to the public.

The author of a report on kauri dieback for the Auckland Council told the meeting that the situation was critical and extreme action was needed.

"Many parts of the Waitakere Range are at a perilous tipping point .. not just for kauri but other species as well," Dr Nick Waipara told the meeting.  

"This pathogen is weakening the forest...We're going to lose many stands of kauri."

Dr Waipara says the situation now requires urgent action "beyond the status quo that has clearly failed."

Another kauri dieback expert, Jack Craw, said the committee had a tough decision to make. But Mr Craw said he but he believed that in time "the community will understand a short term hard decision."

It is generally agreed that a lack of compliance by those using the ranges is responsible for spreading the disease which has spread dramatically in the last five years.

The committee has yet to discuss how the area could be better policed and how much it would cost.

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