Annual summer survey to identify kauri dieback

Kauri dieback is killing our kauri trees which are threatened with extinction. The disease infects kauri roots and damages the tissues that carry nutrients and water within the tree, basically starving the tree to death.

The annual aerial survey will continue the efforts of the Kauri Dieback programme to identify dead or dying kauri trees to help manage and prevent the spread of the disease.

This year the Northland survey areas include:
o Aupōuri peninsula
o Kaitāia area
o Whangārei
o Southern Northland
o Poutō peninsula

The survey, which will take place between December 2017 and March 2018, also provides valuable data on the overall health of our Northland forests.

Biosecurity Manager for Northland Regional Council, Kane McElrea says, “Identifying where kauri dieback is in Northland will ensure landowners, tangata whenua and agencies can better manage the disease and stop it spreading further in Northland. This information then informs decisions such as which tracks should be upgraded first, or which activity groups need to be worked with and educated in order to reduce the risk of the disease being spread.”

He says, “Aerial surveillance is carried out with an aircraft flying in a grid pattern while high-definition stills cameras record every unit of ground. After the flights are made, any stands of kauri that look as though they are diseased are visited by ground crews for further assessment and likely soil tests.”

The Kauri Dieback Programme is a collaborative partnership between MPI, which co-ordinates the programme, and the kaitiaki of those areas where kauri is found – tangata whenua, Department of Conservation, Waikato Regional Council, Northland Regional Council, Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Auckland Council.

If you suspect the presence of kauri dieback, or if you have any questions about the survey, contact the regional council kauri dieback team on (09) 470 1200 or 0800 002 004; or emailmailroom@nrc.govt.nz


More information about the Kauri Dieback Programme can be found on the website: www.kauridieback.co.nz

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