For immediate release – Thursday 29 October 2009

Kauri Killer Cash Promise

The Waitakere Ranges Protection Society warmly welcomes today’s Government announcement pledging $4.7 million towards the fight against the fatal kauri dieback disease (Phytophthora taxon Agathis).

It can’t come too soon for kauri in the Waitakere Ranges, which are suffering badly and where the disease is spreading rapidly.

WRPS has been calling for the ARC to close tracks to protect unaffected areas in the Ranges and quarantine the healthy trees while vital research is undertaken to better understand the disease, which is new to science.

The Government money, in response to a bid by the joint agency trying to manage the disease, will cover basic research and operational management as well as essential publicity.

“It is vital that we get the message out to the public before the summer starts that people can kill kauri by spreading this disease on their boots and bike tyres and by letting dogs run around off the lead in the bush” says Society President John Edgar.

“We can’t say it strongly enough, but if you want to save our kauri then stay away from them. Go for a walk on the beach instead this summer and keep out of the Ranges. If you do walk in the bush then scrub and disinfect your boots and equipment and keep to the tracks.”

“It might only take one spore to kill a kauri. We almost lost the kauri once through logging and got a second chance, but this time we might lose them forever. We look forward to seeing a big increase in containment efforts and for the scientists to be able to get on with the research on the disease before it’s too late”

ENDS

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