Groups at odds over proposed Waitakeres closure

Tree Council secretary Mels Barton says Auckland Council must use powers to impose a Controlled Area Notice to enforce a closure of the Waitakere Ranges. Photo / File

Recreational and environment groups are at odds over whether the 16,000ha Waitakere Ranges Regional Park should be shut to combat the spread of kauri dieback infection.

Rates of the kauri-killing disease have surged from 8 per cent to 19 per cent in just five years, prompting West Auckland iwi Te Kawerau a Maki to declare a rahui over the park, and councillors to consider drastic options.

One of five being put before council's Environment and Community Committee on Tuesday was to block visitor access to the popular park's 250km of walking tracks, where the infection has concentrated.

Auckland Tramping Club president Tony Walton was sceptical about how a closure would be enforced and was dismayed over the situation.

"It's quite disappointing that [the infected trees] had been there for a very long time and people are still grasping at straws to work out what to do and how to handle it," he said.

"As far as closing the whole thing, it's kind of ridiculous, really — it's not the sort of thing where there's only one gate to the park.

"The council would have to have five times as many rangers just to enforce it, so I really don't think it's going to be viable to close it."

The club ran mid-week and weekend tramps, and about half of those were in the park.

"The important thing is that it's worked through sensibly, that it's something achievable and does actually make sense."

A ban would also put a stop to events like the Hillary Trail Marathon, scheduled to take place in February.

Organiser Shaun Collins wanted more funding and resources put into making tracks dry to stop dieback being spread through mud, and better-designed cleaning stations that walkers wouldn't avoid.

But he too questioned the feasibility of a closure.

"It's a massive playground out there that people use, and closing it as a knee-jerk reaction... where are those people going to go?"

But groups including The Tree Council, Waitakere Ranges Protection Society, Forest & Bird and the Friends of Regional Parks wanted visitors to stay away from the park until there was no longer a threat to kauri.

Waitakere Ranges Protection Society president John Edgar said the infection was being spread mainly by people, rather than wild animals.

"The majority of the infection is along the track network and worst in the areas with heaviest foot traffic, which is why it is so important to restrict public access."

Tree Council secretary Mels Barton felt Auckland Council needed to implement Biosecurity Act powers to impose a Controlled Area Notice to enforce the closure.

"They have not taken this advice to date and so are making statements about how hard it will be without the benefit of professional advice on what it would take to close the park under the Biosecurity Act. This is unhelpful."

Friends of Regional Parks chair Bronwen Turner appealed to people to encourage friends and family to respect the rahui and keep away.

"If we want kauri to be in the Waitakeres and all our regional parks for future generations, we must act now to protect it," she said.

"We urge Aucklanders to support proposed spending on Kauri dieback in Auckland Council's Draft Long Term Plan but we urge council and Government not to wait till next year and to immediately invest in the infrastructure needed to protect the kauri in the ranges."