Date:  10 July 2019

DOC’s acting Bay of Islands Operations Manager Martin Akroyd says that after consultation with Treaty Partners, a decision was made to close certain high-risk tracks to protect the local kauri and stop the disease from spreading.

DOC is permanently closing the following tracks:

Puketi Forest

• Mangahorehore Track
• Onekura Track
• Pukekohe Stream Track
• Upper Waipapa River Track
• Walnut Track
• Waihoanga Gorge Kauri Walk
• Takapau Track

Omahuta Forest

• Omahuta Kauri Sanctuary Walk

Russell-Ngaiotonga Forest

• Kauri Grove Walk
• Twin Bole Kauri Walk

As part of the consultation, consideration was given to maintaining recreation opportunities wherever possible. 

“We urge the public to respect the closures and no longer access these tracks, otherwise they’ll be putting our kauri at great risk.”

See a map of the closures (PDF, 471K). 

About kauri dieback

Kauri dieback can kill kauri of all ages. It’s a disease caused by a microscopic fungus-like organism, called phytophthora agathidicida (PA). It lives in the soil and infects kauri roots, damaging the tissues that carry nutrients and water within the tree, effectively starving it to death.

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