Access to Northland kauri icon Tāne Mahuta could be restricted to paid tours

Friday, 15 November 2019

Access to iconic kauri Tāne Mahuta could be restricted to paid tour groups only, in an effort to control kauri dieback.

Tangata whenua Te Roroa was talking with the Department of Conservation about a new programme for Waipoua Forest in Northland, where the approximately 2000-year-old tree is.

Te Roroa's science programme found kauri dieback less than 60 metres from Tāne Mahuta.

Access to iconic kauri Tāne Mahuta, in Waipoua, could be restricted to paid tour groups.

Kauri dieback was also found within four metres of the trees known as the Four Sisters, a find which closed that track in May.

**READ MORE:

Te Roroa Commercial Development Company's science and regional manager Taoho Patuawa gets close to a kauri tree in his research.

* Iwi confirms iconic kauri Tāne Mahuta in grave danger

* Four Sisters track closed after kauri dieback discovered nearby

Bryce Dallas Howard is greeted at Tāne Mahuta with a hongi by Footprints Waipoua Tour Guide Bill Matthews - such tours may soon be the only way to see the giant tree.

* Kānuka could halt kauri dieback disease, study finds

* Ancient kauri tree reveals secrets of Earth's polar reversal**

But the iwi did not want to completely close the track to Tāne Mahuta because of its importance, Te Roroa Commercial Development Company general manager Snow Tane said.

'The challenge was always going to be how do we control it when we've got a state highway running through the middle of the forest.

Conrad Marsh, Courtney Davis, Stephen Bron, Snow Tane and Taoho Patuawa celebrate Te Roroa Commercial Development Company's success in the NZ Biosecurity Awards.

'We know because it's not only a national icon but an international icon, we believed people would still try and access it. Having uncontrolled, off-track, access would've been a worse situation.'

The iwi put guard rails on the walking track after camera surveillance found up to 30 people at a time were going off the track to get closer to the tree.

Tane said he now wanted to introduce a new visitor programme, Rakau Rangitira, where guided tours would be held on boardwalks above the ground.

'The concept is having no more individual access to the tree, it would be guided only.'

Tane said there would be a charge for such tours, although the potential cost was still being decided.

'We believe that's the only way that we're going to allow people to continue to see this icon and for us to give it the highest level of protection it deserves.'

Te Roroa Commercial Development Company recently won the NZ Biosecurity Department of Conservation Community Kahiwi Award for its kauri dieback response plan, which started in 2015.

Other highlights of the plan include inviting international science experts to study the forest, setting up a technical advisory group, treatment and controlling pests in a way that does not spread the disease.

Tane said the work involved checking the health of the 100 plants living in Tāne Mahuta's canopy, plus the overall health of the forest.

The research found as well as kauri dieback, Phytophthora agathidicida, the forest had other related diseases like Phytophthora cinnamomi, which damaged other tree species.

TĀNE MAHUTA FACTS:

Known by Māori as god of the forest and birds, and one of the children of sky father Ranginui and earth mother Papatūānuku.
Tree is 45.2m high and 15.4m wide.
Between 1250 and 2500 years old.
Supports 100 species of plants in its canopy.