The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Country

Aerial checks look for kauri dieback

Coastal News
26 Jan, 2017 03:00 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

A new round of aerial checks for kauri dieback disease is under way over the Coromandel Peninsula, Hauraki and central Waikato.

It follows a series of flights last year which targeted western areas of the region.

The latest surveys, which began on Monday and are expected to continue until February 28 for the Waikato Regional Council, will be using a fixed wing plane.

Biosecurity officer Kim Parker said kauri dieback had already been found on the Coromandel Peninsula at Hukarahi and within the Whangapoua Forest.

"This latest round of checks is about casting our net wider, from Hamilton to the Hunuas across to the Coromandel, and down to the Kaimais.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"On such a large landscape kauri dieback symptoms are more easily spotted from the air, so an aerial survey is the most efficient way for us to check the state of health of stands of kauri. It's crucial that we stop the spread of this crippling disease which attacks our amazing kauri trees."

There is no confirmed presence of kauri dieback in Hauraki district but there have only been limited checks so far.

Kauri dieback is caused by a microscopic fungus-like organism called Phytophthora agathidicida.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The disease infects kauri roots and damages the tissues that carry nutrients and water within the tree, basically starving the tree to death.

Other kauri dieback symptoms include bleeding around the roots and lower trunk.

It kills kauri of all sizes, from the smallest of seedlings to the mightiest of giants.

Once a tree has the disease there is no cure.

The latest surveys will be carried out for the council as part of the National Kauri Dieback programme, and involve co-operation with the Ministry for Primary Industries, the Department of Conservation, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, and Auckland Council.

A kauri dieback expert will be looking for yellowing leaves, canopy thinning and/ or dead branches.

The survey will be carried out over about five days from late-January to the end of February. The exact dates will depend on suitable weather conditions.

People in the surveyed areas may notice a plane flying in a grid.

Soil movement is the big risk factor for spreading the disease and people are encouraged to follow the prevention measures at www.kauridieback.co.nz.

This includes the following info:

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Prevention: What can I do to save our kauri forests?

Without any treatment or control tools, the only way we can save our kauri forests is to contain the disease in its current locations and stop the spread into healthy areas. When around kauri:

• Make sure shoes, tyres and equipment are cleaned to remove all visible soil and plant material before AND after visiting kauri forest
• Please use cleaning stations installed on major tracks: scrub to remove all soil and spray with disinfectant.
• Stay on the track and off kauri roots
• Keep dogs on a leash at all times.

We all can help - tourists, hunters, trappers, trampers, runners, bikers, walkers. We all need to make it happen, rather than hope "someone else" will do it.

- Any questions about the survey can be directed to 0800 800 401. Information on kauri dieback is also available at www.kauridieback.co.nz.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from The Country

The Country

MenzShed revitalises historic dairy factory for community

The Country

Go fishing with Scott Barrett and Kaiwaka Clothing

The Country

'Yellow gold' with Mark de Lautour on The Country


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from The Country

MenzShed revitalises historic dairy factory for community
The Country

MenzShed revitalises historic dairy factory for community

Members raised $110,000 for renovations, independent of council contributions.

15 Jul 03:00 AM
Go fishing with Scott Barrett and Kaiwaka Clothing
The Country

Go fishing with Scott Barrett and Kaiwaka Clothing

15 Jul 02:00 AM
'Yellow gold' with Mark de Lautour on The Country
The Country

'Yellow gold' with Mark de Lautour on The Country

15 Jul 01:34 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP