Kauri dieback killing businesses as well as trees, as track closures begin to bite

Thursday, 19 July 2018

One in five kauri trees in the Waitakere Ranges are now infected with the incurable dieback disease and track closures are hurting local businesses.

Kauri dieback is proving fatal for some tourism operators hard hit by track closures.

Cam and Tania Bowen of AWOL Adventures had to stop two canyoning trips in the Waitākere Ranges Regional Park when their access tracks were closed to prevent spread of the tree-killing infection.

The Bowens took up to 1500 people a year into the ranges, and hope to resume their Piha tours when a track upgrade is complete, but Cam Bowen does not know when that will be.

'We could survive if that track was open. If they decide to keep it closed, we're screwed.'

**READ MORE:

The Department of Conservation wants to shut more tracks in eight regions of the North Island to halt spread of the disease.

* DOC proposes to close 24 tracks to protect kauri

* Kauri dieback: The battle against the 'biological bulldozer'

* Tāne Mahuta could soon be infected with fatal Kauri dieback

* Science offers hope in the fight against kauri dieback**

Canyoning required specific conditions so shifting locations was not possible. 'We can't go into the Hunuas because they have the same problem.'

More than 100 tracks in the forested areas of the Waitākere Ranges are closed to the public, as are 10 higher risk tracks in the Hunua Ranges Regional Park.

Auckland City's manager regional parks Rachel Kelleher said about 80 operators had concessions for the Waitākere park.

The council was working with two concessionaires unable to operate under the current temporary closures to see if they could use alternative tracks or move to new locations.

The Department of Conservation has called for feedback on plans to fully or partially close 34 tracks in the Northland, Bay of Islands, Whangarei, Kauri Coast, Great Barrier, Hauraki, Bay of Plenty and Waikato districts in an effort to stop the further spread of kauri dieback.

Interested parties have until August 10 to make submissions.

Our largest kauri, Tane Mahuta, remains accessible and although 200,000 people year visit the tree, the Department of Conservation believes the risk of dieback infection is low

DOC said it would know not know how many concessionaires were affected until submissions closed, and any refund of concession fees would be considered on a case by case basis.

The Waitākere Experience networking group will survey local businesses to assess the economic impact, but spokesperson Sharon Stewart said most appeared to be affected with tour companies, cafes and accommodation providers all noticing a downturn in trade.

'We're all still reeling a bit.'

The construction of boardwalks could help prevent transmission of contaminated soil and allow the reopening of some closed tracks.

She said lack of communication and assistance from the council and the Auckland tourism and economic development agency ATEED was a concern.

'We still have the most beautiful scenic beaches that are still open, all the non-kauri tracks are open, but everybody has the message that the Waitākeres are closed.'

Waitākere Ranges Local Board member Steve Tollestrup holds the tourism and economic development portfolio and he described the track closures as 'a natural disaster' that required a speedy remedy.

'I don't want to see a closure that carries on for years and years, and I don't think Auckland Council wants to see that either.'

Although parts of Northland's Waipoua Forest are closed, the track to its largest kauri, Tane Mahuta, remains open and attracts about 200,000 visitors a year.

DOC said any decision to fully close the forest would only be made after consultation with local iwi Te Roroa, but it was confident boardwalks and cleaning stations meant the risk of visitors further spreading Kauri dieback was low.

Northland Inc regional development agency head Paul Davis said the disease was a massive issue because kauri forests were a big attraction for the region's $1.2 billion a year tourism industry,.

Track closures had major implications, but protecting the trees was paramount. 'It must happen regardless, no matter what the economic impact.'

In 2013 the potential cost of kauri dieback to tourism nationally was put at $48m annually and the loss of recreational opportunities for Northland was estimated to be $1 million a year.

Taoho Tane, Te Roroa's general development manager of development, said they did not have an up-dated estimate of the cost if full closure of the Waipoua Forest occurred as has been recommended by some scientists.

However, efforts to preserve healthy kauri for tourism are underway and carry hefty price tags.

The Provincial Growth Fund has agreed to invest $288,000 on exploring the establishment of a dieback-free kauri sanctuary on 46 hectares of Ngāti Rehia land as part of its One Billion Trees programme.

Tane said Te Roroa was also looking at applying for funds to do a feasibility study for a tree top walkway through a stand of healthy kauri on iwi land showing visitors the cultural history of Maori and their connection to the land.

Although no costings for the project had been done and plans were in the very early stages, 'you probably wouldn't get much change out of $5m.'